The Only Promise You Ever Made
by Nightfall5029
Summary: Haruka wasn't the type to make promises, knowing fully well that everything she said was out of honesty. But, when Michiru persuades her to make just one, will she be able to keep it? And when she tries, everything she knows will be at stake. H/M
1. Something New

**This is an idea I came up with a while back, and I decided to finally put it up here. I'll be updating my other story soon, hopefully, but school started back up so I can't promise too much. This chapter goes fairly quickly on purpose, and I'm hoping to put up the next chapter whenever I get a chance. Next week? I really like this idea, so it most likely will be around that time. As for this story, I hope it hasn't been done before. If it has, my apologies. Hope you enjoy it. Take care!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything, except for the plot.**

* * *

**The Only Promise You Ever Made**

**Chapter 1**

It was an undeniable fact that she could have woman she wanted. That smile of hers, that grin could cause the aforementioned to swoon, to look at her with a lust that even she didn't possess. But, it wasn't what she wanted. A girl on her arm, a woman in her bed…those were just minor things that she could live without. She had a personality and habits that she wanted to completely disregard from her lifestyle. The flirting, the sweet talking and the kissing; they were all just habits of hers that couldn't seem to die, regardless of the effort she put to get rid of them.

Besides, she had been there before. Countless time, she woke up in the early morning to simply look at the face of a complete stranger, of some woman she couldn't even remember the name of, or probably never even asked for. It was a life she wanted to look past, to get rid of and maybe, possibly, even soon, find a girl who could have that effect on her. She wanted to fall, as cautious as a person she was, and even secluded with her emotions, she wanted to fall in love.

It was a feeling she had yet to experience, maybe because of her withdrawn personality. She wasn't afraid, just not easy. It wasn't something she could so easily dive into, without a second thought, or without even knowing the person. But, she figured that was how all the great ones started out, really. Maybe, one day, she'd be able to experience one of those moments. She didn't want anymore one night stands, no more late night kissing and lovemaking that would only bring about awkwardness the next morning. No, she was tired of all of that. She was tired, even annoyed to a certain degree. She wanted it to change. Her perspective on life had changed, ever since the accident, and now all she wanted to do was find somebody to love, as difficult as it might seem to believe. But, she was willing to try.

Haruka sat at the bar, a drink in her hand, her other resting on her thigh. It was still too early to head home, so she decided to stay for a while longer. The club was dull, and the music was lame, but it was better than being alone at her condominium. She took a quick sip of her drink, and then ran a hand through her hair. Again, she thought about leaving, but there was something else bothering her. There was something holding her back, and she couldn't put aside that feeling in her gut long enough to ignore it.

"It's rare to see you of all people here by yourself," a voice said.

Haruka didn't bother looking. She took another drink instead. "Why is that so surprising?"

"Well, you're the great Haruka Tenoh: the womanizer, the flirt, the charmer with good looks and a sexy personality. Should I go on?"

Haruka grinned. "No, but sexy should have been the first thing," she explained.

The voice laughed, and Haruka couldn't help but listen. It was soft, even with the loud music blaring. She finally turned to the voice, almost dropping her drink when she set her eyes on her. The woman before her, the beauty standing right there…she could only stare at her in awe. There were no words to describe her, not enough adjectives to fully explain how beautiful she was.

Haruka grinned at her, which in turn caused her to raise her eyebrows. "So, I take it you're a fan of some sort?"

"What gave you that idea?"

"You seem to know a lot about me. But next time, make sexy the first thing you say. Just a heads up, is all."

The woman smiled, a soft and warm smile that Haruka was glad she could elicit from her. "I'm not a fan of yours."

"An obsessive stalker then?" She made a face of disapproval, and Haruka could only laugh.

"I'm just a person who knows of your reputation, is all."

Haruka became amused by her words, almost immediately believing that she was just another woman who assumed too much, without knowing the real truth. It wasn't a surprise, or a first. She couldn't blame people for thinking what they did; it was her own choices and naivety that led to these false beliefs about her. But, there was no turning back…no changing anything that had already been done. The only thing she could do now was prove everybody wrong. She was going to, in the end.

Although, it didn't seem like anything had changed at all. This woman she just met was already throwing a title at her, probably thinking that she was still some promiscuous person with no feelings and emotions. It bothered her, in a way.

Haruka sighed inwardly and ran a hand through her hair. The woman gave her a questionable stare. "So, this reputation of mine-"

"Is something that I refuse to believe," she interrupted. Haruka simply looked at her, her mouth open, at a loss for words. "I know what I said, but I don't like to believe something unless I've seen it for myself."

Haruka grinned, putting her drink down on the bar. She stood up in front of her. "That's a good thing, I guess. Even so…I don't think that means we have to rule out good looks and a sexy personality, does it?"

The smaller girl smiled then looked away. "I'll get back to you on that," she answered, before walking away.

Haruka stood there as she watched the woman walk away—the way her legs and hips moved. She grinned when a thought formed in her head, but she immediately dismissed it when the realization that she was walking away hit her.

She went after her, catching up to her outside, standing in front of a car and rummaging through her purse. She stood next to her.

"You're leaving so soon?" she asked, leaning against the car.

"I didn't intend on staying too long."

Haruka was trying to think of what to say. If only she could say something, anything to get the woman to stay with her, if only for a while longer. She didn't even know her name.

"You know, I don't even know your name."

The woman found her keys, opened the car door and sat in it. She started it, and then rolled the window down. Haruka just stood there, an indifferent look on her face with her hands in her pockets. It seemed as if she felt she didn't need to try, and that only amused her.

"If you really want to talk to me again, you'll find me."

Haruka grinned, leaning her hand against the car and bending closer to the window. "Well then, I guess I'll be seeing you soon."

The woman looked away, as if thinking about her words, and Haruka could only wait for her response. The hesitation made the blonde wonder if she really did want to see her again, or if she was just saying that in order to get rid of her. Either way, she was going to keep to what she stated.

She didn't look at Haruka. "What if I said I wanted to see you again?"

"Then I wouldn't be surprised," she answered truthfully.

The woman laughed, and Haruka's smile grew wider. She could get used to listening to that melodic sound. It calmed her.

"You promise to find me?"

Haruka frowned. "I can't promise anything."

The woman finally looked at her, confused. "But, I thought you wanted to see me again."

"Oh, believe me I do. It's just, I don't make promises."

"Why not?"

Haruka shrugged her shoulders. "I don't make promises when so many things always change."

* * *

Haruka walked down the aisle, passing the rows of seats filled with people dressed in formal wear. It wasn't somewhere she was used to being at, but she was there for a specific reason, for a specific person.

Michiru Kaioh. She had finally learned of her name, the next day, in fact. It didn't take too long, seeing as she was apparently extremely famous throughout Tokyo. How she never heard of nor seen her was a mystery.

Haruka arrived at the front row, and sat herself in the middle, placing the bouquet of flowers on the floor next to her feet. She glanced at her watch, becoming impatient, even if there was only three minutes until the concert started. She mindlessly fixed her tie, slightly pulling it down to put some relief on her neck. For some reason, just thinking about seeing Michiru again was causing her body temperature to rise, and her heart to race. She chuckled to herself and shook her head.

She was nervous. She was actually nervous for once around a woman she had only met once. It was most definitely a first, and most definitely something that she could get used to. The feelings that were stirring inside of her were new, but she enjoyed it. She almost felt giddy, as she anticipated even the sight of the violinist.

The lights suddenly went dim, and a spotlight concentrated on the center stage. A lone person could be seen walking to center stage, before the spotlight revealed her.

There she was. Right there, standing not too far from where Haruka was sitting, looking breathtaking in her dress that complimented her figure, and her hair accentuating her face. Haruka stared…it was all she could do. That smile of hers, those eyes of hers. She was beautiful.

Michiru bowed to the audience, and then nodded before placing the violin under her chin. She began playing, the soft, slow music sounding wonderful. Haruka listened, both her hands resting on her legs. There was just something about the way she played that made her all the more attractive. Her music was amazing, and she could feel the emotion put into every single note. She could just simply listen to it and feel happy.

Michiru closed her eyes, slowly moving her body to the music, as the curtains behind her opened to reveal the orchestra. They joined her in the song she was playing, simply making it even greater to listen to. Haruka could only concentrate her attention on Michiru, loving everything that the sight of her brought.

Suddenly, she closed her eyes, as well, leaning her head back and closed her hands. She listened to the melody, concentrating solely on the violin as she relaxed her fingers on her legs. She moved them, over an imaginary piano that she could only see in her head, and only her hearing the imaginary sounds emitting from the instrument. The music greatly accompanied the violin, and she could only smile at that. Here she was concocting a piece of her own that would do well as a duet with Michiru. She would love to show it to her someday.

The piece finished, and Haruka opened her eyes. Michiru stayed where she was, the violin under her chin and the bow still resting on a string. Her eyes were closed, and her mind seemed to be somewhere else—a place she took herself when she played. She opened her eyes, bowed, then proceeded on with the next piece, her eyes closing once again. Haruka would simply watch her for the next pieces, simply being content to do just that.

When the concert was over, Haruka made her way backstage to find Michiru. She walked through the crowds of people, holding on to the bouquet of flowers while trying to fix her suit. She finally arrived at Michiru's dressing room, but just stood there. The nervousness came rushing back, and she, again, had to loosen her tie. She rubbed her eyes, pacing back and forth, trying to come up with things to say.

From the beginning, Haruka was intent on asking Michiru out, but that wasn't exactly a strong point of hers. A life of women throwing themselves on her, without her needing to utter one single word, gave her the luxury of not needing to ask anyone out. Truthfully, she had never even been on an actual date with anyone. So, for her to do this was new, but she couldn't back down to any extent. This was the best chance. She just needed to relax, and go with the flow. She needed to let her feelings do the talking for her—a complete out of the ordinary thing for her.

Haruka ran a hand through her hair, and then cleared her throat. She lightly knocked on the door, but didn't hear any movement after a while. She laughed to herself, realizing that the ridiculous knock she just gave was embarrassing. She didn't know she was that nervous. Again, she knocked, but louder this time. She heard movement, a sound that almost made her run away.

"Get yourself together, Tenoh. It's no so…"

The door opened, revealing an almost bare Michiru holding a thin garment around her shoulders, and a breathtaking smile on her face.

Haruka released a breath she didn't know she was holding. "Uh…"

Michiru slightly laughed. "It's good to see you, Haruka. I didn't know if you'd find me."

The pianist glanced away and cleared her throat before turning her attention back to the violinist. "I told you that I'd see you very soon," she answered, bringing the flowers in front of her.

"Such a gentleman," she remarked, before taking the flowers. Haruka grinned, loving the fact that she had a sense of humor. "Come in," she said, moving aside for the taller woman.

Haruka didn't move for a few seconds, afraid that she might do something brash when walking past Michiru who was almost half-naked. She didn't show that she was nervous in any way, because confidence was always more of what people saw. But with Michiru, it was getting more and more difficult to keep her behavior the same. She walked past Michiru, taking in the scent of her.

Michiru closed the door, and then set the flowers on a table near it. "I'm actually glad that you came today. I was wondering when I'd see you again."

Haruka turned to face her and shrugged. She put her hands in her pockets. "It wasn't all too difficult." She laughed, remembering that she didn't even try. "I saw a poster of you early the next morning," she explained with a smile. "So, I decided to come to the concert and surprise you."

The talking made Haruka calmer, and the idea of asking Michiru out didn't seem like such a crazy idea, after all, even if she was dressed the way she was. She couldn't complain.

"What did you think?"

The blonde smiled. "It was amazing. I never knew anybody could play with so much passion as you could. It was like I could feel the emotion you put into every piece."

"Apparently too much," Michiru commented, moving closer to Haruka.

"What are you talking about?"

Michiru didn't say anything, but carefully fixed Haruka's tie with her skillful hands. The close proximity was something the blonde ached for, yearned for. She simply stared at the woman who concentrated on the tie, and had to withhold her urges of wanting to hold her, to kiss her.

Without even thinking, Haruka brought her hand up, placing it on Michiru's cheek. She loved the softness under her fingers as she caressed her skin, causing the violinist to look up at her in a way she never had before. There was something there, something that was hidden before but she clearly saw it now.

Haruka wrapped her other arm around her waist, pulling her closer. Their bodies fit perfectly, she noticed, and when the shorter woman put her arm around her neck, everything just seemed right. The closeness, that look, the feeling—it was all so right.

They kissed. It was a slow and soft kiss that was almost hesitant, at first. But, once it was clear that the feeling and desire of wanting each other was mutual, it became deeper, more passionate. Haruka loved what she felt, and she knew that this was what she had been waiting for. This was her chance at finally being happy.

They pulled apart and Haruka rested her forehead against Michiru's, a grin on her face caused by the smile the other woman showed. "Go out with me, Michiru," she said, more of a statement than a question.

Michiru just simply smiled. "What took you so long to ask me?"

* * *

That night was going to be the start of something new for Haruka. Something different that she had yet to experience or understand, but she was willing to try. With Michiru, she was willing to give everything in order to stay with her. There was no hesitation in that sense, no second guessing and she felt like she had finally found somebody she could be happy with.

After a few dates, there was no denying that they wanted to be together. They couldn't stand to be away from each other. Haruka was finally in a real relationship with someone she cared deeply for. There were no late night stands, no waking up in the morning next to a person she didn't know to any extent. No, when she woke up next to Michiru, there was a different feeling she wasn't used to, but that didn't bother her. She could watch her sleep, moving small strands of hair away from her face in order to let the sunlight reflect off such beauty. The simplicity in those kinds of things were new to her...something she would have never done before, but each time those feelings would rush back and she didn't want to get rid of them.

Michiru brought out the best in her, a side of her that she wasn't willing to reveal to anybody else. Haruka would do anything to make her smile, to make her laugh—two things that she could never get enough of. She was happy…it was that plain and simple. She was happy with Michiru.

"What're you doing, Haruka?" Michiru asked, coming behind the blond to wrap her arms around her.

Haruka sat on the bench, slightly running her fingers over the keys of the piano, thinking of what she should play for the other girl. Something new, something special. Or, maybe something she recognized.

Haruka lightly grabbed the hand wrapped around her, and gave it a slight squeeze. "I'm going to play something for you."

Michiru pulled away to sit next to her. "I didn't know you could play anything?"

Haruka grinned at her, gave her a slight kiss then proceeded to play.

Her fingers moved gracefully over the keys, as if she didn't even need to try. She closed her eyes, visioning Michiru on the stage again so many months ago, playing her violin piece with such grace. She remembered the melody, the harmony, and she played the same thing she had that same day to herself. The sound was amazing, so elegant but just simply wonderful to hear.

Michiru sat there, staring at Haruka in awe and admiration. For one, she didn't know the blonde could play so well. Secondly, she didn't even know she had created a piece that accompanied her own. It was just perfect. She stared at the blonde, taking in everything she was, and just how peaceful she looked playing. She was in her own world, something that she could understand.

Haruka finished, opening her eyes and taking a breath to calm her nerves. She always got passionate whenever she played, especially if it was that certain song. She looked at Michiru, a grin on her face to only be met with a kiss.

It was different, however. There was more urgency behind it, more passion and more feeling. She enjoyed it, as she slightly moved to wrap her arms around Michiru's waist. The kiss deepened even more, that when they finally pulled away, Haruka couldn't contain herself. She couldn't hold it back anymore, as she pulled the smaller woman into her arms.

"I love you," she whispered, moving her fingers along her back. She felt Michiru smile against her shoulder, but she didn't say anything. Haruka didn't mind too much, because she just wanted to enjoy the moment. She had never said those words to anybody before, but the feeling it brought was more than she ever expected. It was so genuine, and she knew that she wanted to protect this woman for the rest of their life together. She would give anything to make sure she was safe. Anything.

Michiru pulled away, placing her hand on Haruka's cheek. She smiled, and the sparkle in her eyes spoke volumes. "I love you, too."

This would only be the beginning.

* * *

Haruka stopped the car in front of a house, before getting out to open the door for Michiru.

"Where are we?" she asked, grabbing a hold of the blonds arm.

"This," she began, motioning towards the house, "is our home."

Michiru glanced at her before walking closer, inspecting and taking in the area as well as the house itself. The two-story house sat there, surrounded by full grown trees and gardens of flowers. The porch was covered by a veranda, its elegance evident in the Victorian architecture. The windows were accompanied by green shutters, and a small bench sat near the doorway. The driveway and garage was immense, probably to hold all of Haruka's priceless cars, she figured. It looked exactly as Michiru always envisioned her dream house would look like, wonderful and by the ocean. Haruka sure did pay attention to everything she said.

Haruka suddenly grabbed Michiru, lifting her up to carry her in her arms. She smiled down at her, kissing her as she walked to the front door. She skillfully unlocked and opened it with one hand, before walking over the threshold and into their new house, their home. She carefully let Michiru down, closing the door behind her only to stand there with her hands in her pockets. Michiru walked around, simply in awe at the beauty of the home. The feeling she got was indescribably simply wonderful and amazing. The only other time she got that feeling was when Haruka proposed, but she couldn't argue at the thought of getting used to it.

Haruka held her hand. "I want to show you something," she said, leading her away. They went down a hallway before stopping at a door. "I want to show you the garage," she explained.

Michiru smiled, fully knowing that Haruka only wanted to show off her cars. She was surprised however to find none when the door was opened. Instead, the floor was concrete, covered in brown paper. Easels stood with blank canvas' resting on them, all different kinds of paints and brushes sat on the shelves against the walls. On the wall hung all of Michiru's old paintings and even one that Haruka had tried her hand at, with Michiru's insistent persuasion, of course.

"Hold on," Haruka said, moving into the garage. She went to the back and bent down as an unlocking noise could be heard. She lifted up a garage door, which opened up to the backyard. The view was simply breathtaking, as the sun was slowly beginning to set and its reflection could be seen in the ocean. Michiru slowly walked closer to where the blonde stood, trying to take in the view and the beauty of it all.

"Haruka…this…this is simply wonderful. I can't believe you thought of this."

Haruka smiled—a gesture she only showed to her wife. "Did you think I wanted to show you my cars?"

Michiru laughed, but before she could answer, Haruka kissed her. The kissing eventually led them to the bedroom, and lucky for Haruka, she was smart enough to have already had their things moved in, specifically the bed.

Hours passed before they lay there on the bed, holding each other and enjoying the feeling of being together, married and in love. Just simply happy.

"Make me a promise, Haruka," Michiru began, tightening her hold.

She frowned. For the years they had been together, it was something Haruka never did, and Michiru never seemed to question it. "Michi, you know I don't make promises."

"Please, just this time, Ruka. Please?"

Haruka sighed, glancing away momentarily before looking back at her. It was something she had never asked of her before, because there was a sort of understanding on her part. But, for some reason, she was acting different. She had been for a while now, and she knew there was a reason behind it. This apparent promise that she wanted her to make had something to deal with it. Michiru had always understood that she didn't do that, but now it was like she wanted that to change. Haruka decided that she would do it, just this one time, for her. Only for her.

Haruka kissed her forehead. "Of course. Just for you."

Michiru smiled, hugging her tighter. She dug her face into the blonds shoulder, breathing in her scent, something she was familiar with but enjoyed nevertheless.

"Promise me that you'll stay with me forever and not go anywhere. So that we can always be happy."

"I shouldn't have to even promise that because-"

"Please," she interrupted, kissing her collarbone.

Haruka sighed, moving away to look at Michiru in the eyes. She kissed her deeply, softly, and passionately. There were no hidden meanings behind that kiss, no hesitation. There was only a love that she held for this woman in it, and it was something that wouldn't wane or disappear in the slightest sense. She pulled away and then looked into her eyes.

"I promise, Michiru."

It would be the only promise she ever made to her. She never once thought that she would break it.

* * *

**Well, I don't have too much to say. Just review if you'd like. Take care!**

**-Nightfall5029**


	2. Breaking Down

**Finally, I'm able to put this chapter up! I always hate taking this long to update, so my apologies. I'm done with school now! So, hopefully updating will be happening a lot quicker. For my other story, I have writer's block right now. So, most likely, this one will be updated quicker than the other. Anyway, this chapter isn't anything special, and it's pretty short, but I couldn't add too much without giving away further chapter. It'll start getting a lot better by the next one, for sure. And I'm gonna be jumping around a lot in this story. Hope you like it! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything, except for the plot.**

* * *

**The Only Promise You Ever Made**

**Chapter 2-Breaking Down**

**5 Years Later**

"You always seem to make me late, Haruka," Michiru said, rummaging through her drawers to find clothes for work. She let out a frustrated sigh when nothing was good enough before quickly heading to the bathroom and shutting the door.

Haruka laid on their bed, her hands behind her head and a grin on her face. She pulled the sheet up to cover her naked body, laughing all the while at Michiru's expected behavior. This always happened, but it wasn't a surprise. The younger woman couldn't keep herself away from Haruka. She shrugged; she couldn't help how sexy she was.

The violinist came rushing back into the bedroom, picking up miscellaneous items off from her dresser and looking at Haruka in the mirror. The way she laid there, so content and relaxed, as if nothing was wrong. The smug grin on her face caused her to shake her head, before turning to finally look at the blonde.

"We really need to stop doing this, you know," she said, walking closer to the bed.

"You say that all the time."

Michiru sat on the bed. "That's because it's true. I don't want to get fired for being late so many times."

The blonde laughed. "Yeah, well tell that to the woman who insists on continuing."

Michiru hit Haruka's leg, grabbing the sheet in the process and slightly pulling it down. The sight of her body was enough to make her forget about what they were talking about, and she so badly wanted to continue what they had just finished minutes before. The other woman noticed how she was being looked at, but didn't move to cover herself up. It was always fun to tease her lover.

Haruka raised an eyebrow. "Want to go for another round?"

"Yes," Michiru blurted without thinking. She shook her head and shut her eyes. "I mean, no…no, I have to get to work." She sighed and got up off the bed. "You're such a bad influence on me."

Haruka grinned. "It's not my fault you can't keep your hands off of me."

Michiru sighed. "You do have a point there." She leaned over and gave the blonde a kiss before getting up to leave. "What're you planning on doing today?" she asked, fixing her hair and clothes.

"I'm not sure. I'm going to go for a run probably, then just lounge around and watch TV. Or maybe just go for a drive. I'm not too sure yet." Haruka got up from the bed and began to put her clothes back on. It was her first day off in a long time, and she honestly didn't know what to do with herself. When she wasn't on the track, or with Michiru, there was nothing else she thought of ever doing. A run would do her good though, since all she needed was the wind against her face to clear her mind.

"Just try not to leave the TV on like you always do."

Haruka stared at her back. "Yeah…" She stood behind the woman and wrapped her arms around her waist. The violinist stopped what she was doing and leaned back into the warm embrace, savoring the feel of being held by the blonde. "You know, if it was up to me, I'd do you all day."

Michiru smiled, closing her eyes as Haruka kissed her neck. "If you're good, then we'll see what happens one of these days," she said, enjoying the feel of the other woman's lips roaming her neck. "Haruka, I need to go," she barely managed.

Haruka shook her head. "No, you don't," she answered, running her hands under Michiru's blouse.

Michiru turned around, wrapping her arms around the blonde's neck. "Don't you ever get tired?"

"Are you really asking me that question?" she said, running her hands up along Michiru's stomach and back. She pulled her closer, moving her mouth over her neck.

"I guess I'm going to be late after all."

Haruka smiled into her neck, as her hands continued their advancements around the smaller woman's body. It elicited a pleasant smile and moans of approval, allowing her to continue without any doubt or sort of hesitation.

"I love you…," she whispered to Michiru, unclasping her bra to freely run her hands everywhere.

Michiru kissed her cheek. "Always…Ruka."

The blondes grip tightened and the distance between them was non-existent, as she let out the smile only her lover could ever be the source of.

"And forever, Michi."

It was a habit of theirs that couldn't be broken, and one that came about naturally. It began a while after they had gotten married, and was more of a latent promise to each other that had so much meaning in its simplicity of words. Haruka didn't make promises, but this one was indirect more than anything and something that she couldn't resist saying.

* * *

Haruka groaned as she opened her eyes, the sunlight being too much for her to handle; she was always much more of a night owl than anything else. She stretched her arms over her head, a yawn escaping from her mouth. She turned her head when she heard a grunt. A smile found its way on her lips.

Michiru lay there, her hair falling around her face and an almost content look on her face. If it was up to Haruka, she would lay there and simply watch her sleep, she would simply admire the beauty that belonged to the woman she so hopelessly loved.

She genuinely smiled, a rare sight to those who didn't know her too well. Haruka's hands wrapped around her body and her mouth traced her neck to her cheek, enjoying the softness of her skin. Michiru slightly stirred, but didn't open her eyes. She grabbed Haruka's hand and squeezed, pulling it more over her body to fully encompass herself within the blonde's arms.

Haruka kissed her cheek. "I have to get going, love. I just wanted to say bye."

Michiru shook her head, but didn't say anything. Haruka laughed at her behavior.

"I wish I could stay, but I really need to get to the track."

Michiru grumbled in disapproval, but slowly and hesitantly let go of her arm. Haruka kissed her cheek and whispered into her ear, "Always, love."

She waited for a response, but there was none. She shrugged it off, thinking that she fell right back asleep and didn't hear her. She kissed her cheek once more before finally getting up to get ready.

* * *

"Tenoh, I want you to meet somebody."

She turned her head to her manager. A tall girl stood there with dirty blond hair and blue eyes that reminded her of the ocean. She stood there with a smirk on her face and an almost conceited look in her eyes. Haruka didn't like the way she was staring, but she just ignored it for right now.

"Who's this?" she asked, wiping her hands on a rag.

"This is one of your new mechanics. She just started yesterday. Remember I was telling you about her?"

Haruka threw the towel to the side, slightly nodding her head. "That's good and all, but I thought I said I didn't need anymore mechanics?" She turned to her manager.

He scratched his head and laughed. "Well, yeah, but she's really good. And I figured that the help would be welcomed, especially for you."

She quickly glanced at the girl, and she had that same look on her face. It was almost as if she knew something that Haruka didn't, and she didn't like that. She grabbed her manager by the arm and dragged him away. "Excuse us," she said to the girl.

"Kenji, why did you get another mechanic? Did you forget that this is going to be my last race?"

He pulled his arm free. "No, I didn't forget, but I wanted you to meet her. She seems to be really fond of you and I just wanted ya'll to meet, is all."

Haruka turned to find the girl inspecting her car and a cautious feeling came upon her. There was just something about the girl that made her seem suspicious and that she had some sort of ulterior motive than just being a mechanic. There wasn't anything to prove her theory, but that look in her eyes was different. The girl looked at Haurka and grinned before turning her attention back to the car. She decided to ignore the feeling for now but would keep her eyes on this new girl.

"Fine, let her stay." Kenji smiled. "But no more after this! We have enough good and trustworthy mechanics as it is. The last thing we need is a newbie." He nodded his head.

* * *

The track was filled with people, making it difficult to even walk through to the stands or the concessions. Michiru made her way along to a private booth that she always used for herself. Haruka didn't want her to sit among everybody else in the stands, thinking she would only be bombarded with paparazzi and fans, not that it was different or surprising, but all Michiru wanted to do was enjoy the race like all the other people there.

She entered the large room, glancing around momentarily at the small amenities and delicacies placed in the room for her. She didn't care much for it as she was only concerned with the race and safety of Haruka. Too many accidents had been happening in the racing world, whether it was competitions or practices, it seemed that somebody was always getting hurt or even killed. Michiru knew Haruka was a skilled driver, but the same couldn't be said about everybody else. Accidents were bound to happen, but she only wished it wouldn't be anytime soon, and especially to Haruka.

Although, something had been bothering her the entire day, and it made her worry. In the back of her head, there was something telling her that this race would be different than all the other ones. She unconsciously touched her stomach when a sudden feeling of nausea came over her. It was the third time that day that she had felt like that. She couldn't understand why, but she just had a bad feeling about the race, like something horrible was going to happen. All the other times before, that had never happened, so she was being mindful of this new experience. When the feeling subsided she took a deep breath to calm her nerves. There was no sense in thinking that something was going to go wrong, since she knew that it was a slim chance it would actually happen. Michiru sat down on a chair set in front of the large, glass window and stared down at the cars. It was almost time for the race to start.

The cars began to get into their positions along the track, one by one moving along and stopping behind the designated line. The engines were loud, the entire crowd anxiously sitting in their seats for the race to start. Michiru simply sat there, looking down at the scene. She was confident that Haruka would win this race. She found her car in the middle of all the others and she softly smiled. She already knew how the race would end. She didn't come for moral support or because she was curious about the outcome. No, she simply wanted to enjoy the moment where Haruka was happy and proud of herself. She wanted to join Haruka in sharing the happiness that came along with the expected outcome of every race.

The engines roared as the start of the race drew closer, a more than exciting sound to everybody. Suddenly, the cars took off in almost a blur, racing past the audience in a frenzy and deafening noise. The race had finally begun. Haruka quickly claimed and maintained the lead throughout the race, as the other racers couldn't even catch up to her. She raced in her element with speed, grace and an ease that only she could ever have. The wind rushed all around her, and she loved it.

There were only ten laps left, and Haruka stayed in the lead, but three of the other racers caught up, speeding up and trying to gain the lead. Michiru paid close attention to the other racers, noticing their speed and driving methods. They were swerving a lot, trying to get on the sides of Haruka instead of in front. It seemed like they were planning something. Suddenly, that nauseous feeling came back and she quickly stood up. Chills went down her arms and back causing her to shiver and become afraid. There was something wrong, something was going to happen; she knew it. The feeling she got overpowered her body, and she knew that she needed to stop the race at any cost.

She left the room and rushed down to Kenji, Haruka's team manager. She pushed her way through people walking around, ignoring the annoyed stares and yells. Security let her pass, being smart enough not to block her. She grabbed Kenji's arm when she reached him and pulled off his headset.

"You need to get Haruka out of there," she demanded. He pulled his arm away and stared at her.

"What are you talking about?"

"Something's going to happen…something bad, and-"

"You're obviously imagining things here, Michiru. Please, just go back to the room and enjoy the race. It's almost over anyway," he suggested. He placed the headphones over his ears and turned his back to her.

"Michiru…"

She turned around to only stare into a pair of light blue eyes that she hadn't seen in so long. "Yuka…what're you doing here?"

The taller girl smiled and moved closer. "I'm a new mechanic here…I would have never expected to see you here." She touched Michiru's arm.

"I'm…here for Haruka."

The look on Yuka's face changed, and she pulled away. She frowned and her eyes seemed to appear darker. Michiru knew that look, and she knew those eyes; she instantly became afraid. That feeling rushed over her body once again, as she shut her eyes to try to block it out but it was too strong, too real. She turned back to Kenji and grabbed his headset then placed the mic close to her mouth.

"Haruka…Haruka you need to get out of this race right now!"

"What are you doing?! Give that back to me," he demanded, grabbing it from her hands and pushing her away. She tried to reach for it again, but Yuka grabbed her and pulled her away.

"Michiru, you need to calm down!" she demanded.

"You don't understand. Let me go!" She looked up at Kenji. "Listen to me, you need to stop it. Please, I beg you."

"You're crazy!" He paused and turned his head before adjusting the microphone. "Everything is fine, Haruka. No…I don't…no, it's fine. Just keep racing."

He put the headset around his neck before turning to Michiru again. "I don't know what your reasoning for this is, but you better calm down or-"

His words were nothing more but an irrelevant sound to Michiru. The screams and screeching tires caught her attention and she turned her head. She went still, her heart froze and everything around her became a blur. All she could see was Haruka's car being slammed into the wall by another. The other car slowed down, but clipped the back of Haruka's car before speeding up to get around, making it spin uncontrollably. Another car came from behind, too fast to stop and too slow to even think of doing so. He hit the left side of her car at the same time that another stopped right in front, causing Haruka's to flip and roll, parts of the car shattering and pieces flying everywhere. It finally stopped in the grass on its side, and everybody went quiet. The emergency vehicles rushed to the scene, as the other cars slowed down with caution.

Michiru didn't utter a single word as she fell to her knees. Her body was too weak for her to move. She shook her head and tightly shut her eyes, trying to block out the scene she just witnessed, but she only kept seeing it. She finally opened her eyes and looked up to see the emergency crews trying to get Haruka out of the wrecked car. She could only imagine what kind of injuries Haruka suffered from that horrific crash. The hitting, the screeching and the rolling—she could only imagine. But she hoped she would be okay. Nothing could go wrong. Nothing would go wrong. She would be all right. She had to be.

She saw something fall down from the corner of her eye. She turned to find Kenji just standing there with a look of disbelief and fear. The anger came more quickly than she thought before she grabbed the headset and hit him in the face with it.

"Why didn't you listen to me? Why didn't you listen to me?!"

Kenji let her hit him without any real defense for himself. What happened was just too shocking for him to register it in his mind, and the pain that Michiru was inflicting on him didn't bother him. He felt stupid. He felt so stupid.

Yuka finally pulled Michiru away when she realized her manager was just taking the beating, as if he deserved it.

"No, let me go! This is his fault…it's all his fault!"

She fell to the ground again as the tears came in an endless barrage. Her vision blurred and her body felt weak; she felt like she was going to be sick. The sirens blared in the background but she didn't pay too much attention to it. All she could do was pray Haruka was going to be okay…there was no possible way that she could leave her. She promised all those years ago that she wouldn't. She made a promise.

"I'm…I'm sorry."

Michiru looked up at Kenji, and he simply stared at her with guilt and sadness. He seemed broken, but it was nothing compared to the shattered feelings she had at the moment.

"I should have listened to you, but it just seemed so unreasonable. I…don't know what else to say, Michiru."

"I'll never forgive you, Kenji."

"Michiru…don't be too hard on him," Yuka began. "It's not his fault, it's not anybody's fault."

She shook her head. "No, I should have done something. I should have done more." She stood off the ground and turned to Yuka. "I should have gone with this bad feeling and persuaded her not to race. I could have done something about this. Now…she might not be able to race ever again."

"Race again?" Yuka began. "I thought you knew, Michiru."

"Knew what?"

"This…was going to be Haruka's last race ever. She was going to retire after this."

She became confused. "What're you talking about? Racing is her life and she would never-"

"You are her life, Michiru," Kenji interrupted, "You mean everything to her. She was going to retire for good after this race. She just wanted to live happily with you because that was good enough for her. That was all she wanted."

Michiru felt cold all of a sudden. The chill came back and she could only shake her head. How could she have not known about this? "Why…why didn't she tell me this?"

"She wanted to surprise you. I…I'm sorry. But…"

Kenji kept talking, but Michiru wasn't listening to him anymore. His words completely surprised her because she had no idea that Haruka was looking to retiring anytime soon. This was something she loved to do, and for her to give it up was something almost unheard of. But it was all going to be for her…everything Haruka did was always for her. Michiru got up and ran to the exit of the track and to her car. She needed to get to the hospital. She needed to make sure that Haruka was going to be all right.

Yuka watched Michiru run off to the exit, pushing away anybody who tried to hold her back or even slightly get in her way. She ran a hand through her hair before turning around and walking away. She would talk to Michiru when everything was over.

Michiru sat in her car, started the engine and quickly drove off. There wasn't any time for her to waste. She sped through the streets, cautiously ignoring stop signs and down streets where there wasn't a red light. She carelessly wiped at her eyes, trying to get rid of the constant flow of tears. Her vision was becoming blurry, but all she could think about was Haruka.

The crash kept replaying in her mind. The silence of the crowd and the noise of the cars was deafening to her ears. Michiru blinked the tears away; she had to be strong…for the both of them.

She suddenly remembered the last thing Haruka said to her when she was half-awake.

Michiru shook her head to try to calm herself. For the first time in the more than five years that they had been together, she had never forgotten to reply to Haruka with her usual words.

She wiped her eyes again before whispering, "…and forever, Ruka. Forever and ever." She finally reached the hospital just in time to see the paramedics rolling the stretcher through the doors. She caught up to them, quickly walking along with them and holding Haruka's hand.

She forced back the tears that threatened to revels themselves again. Haruka hand was so cold, and her face pale. There were cuts and bruises all over her body, and her lip was busted. One of the medics was trying to stop bleeding coming from the right arm, while the other was tightening a temporary brace to her right leg. There was so much damage that Michiru was afraid of the possible outcome.

A paramedic finally grabbed Michiru and held her back. "I can't allow you in there. You're going to need to stay out here."

Michiru didn't say anything. She just leaned against the wall and slumped to the ground. She stayed there…quiet and still for a long time. She just looked off down the hallway and whispererd, "You promised me you would stay, Ruka. You made me a promise."

For the first ever, Michiru felt like Haruka wouldn't be able to keep her promise.

* * *

**Well, that's all for this chapter. This Yuka person is going to be an interesting character, so pay attention to her a lot. Review if you'd like. Take care!**

**-Nightfall5029  
**


	3. Guardian Angel

**Well, I got this chapter done pretty quickly. I'm actually having fun writing this story. I hope it's just not too confusing. A lot of questions from this chapter will definitely be answered in the next one. Anyway, I don't work at all this week so I'm hoping to put up the next chapter as soon as I can. Thanks a lot to those who reviewed! I appreciate it. :D I hope you enjoy the chapter. And if there's a lot of grammatical errors, sorry...it's three in the morning. :p  
**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything, except for the plot.**

* * *

**The Only Promise You Ever Made**

**Chapter 3-Guardian Angel**

**6 Years Later**

Everything went by so fast. All the memories rushed through her mind and all the various emotions attacked her fragile heart that she didn't know if she could handle it. It was too much. Too much pain and worry…she was slowly breaking because she didn't know what was going to happen. That uncertainty about the person she loved most was killing her. The tears ran down her cheeks and all she wanted to do was scream. She just wanted to see Haruka and kiss her…hug her and tell her how much she loved her.

"Michiru…"

The soft, calm voice quickly caught her attention. That voice that she simply adored was saying her name. She looked up and there she was…perfectly fine and just the way she last saw her. That blond hair, those amazing eyes and that sexy grin…it was all the same.

"Haruka…you're okay. You're…really okay." She almost couldn't believe what she was seeing, but it was real. Her Haruka was standing there, smiling at her. She ran to her and those arms wrapped around her body. The comfort that her arms brought to her mind and body was unexplainable. She felt at home. "I'm glad you're okay, Haruka," she said, holding on tighter.

Haruka smiled then kissed her neck. "I am okay. I made you a promise, didn't I?" Michiru nodded her head, too happy to say anything. "But I need you to do something for me, Michiru."

"Anything…"

Haruka pulled back. She brushed a few strands of hair out of Michiru's eyes, leaving her hand on her cheek. "I need you to wake up."

Before she could say anything, everything went completely white.

Michiru quickly woke up and gasped. She glanced around the room before finally calming down. Her breath slowed down and she shut her eyes. The dream flashed in her mind—Haruka holding her and being healthy. It seemed so real, as if she was back at the hospital and Haruka didn't even have a scratch on her. But it was only a dream.

What could it mean? It had to be something important, because it was the first dream in six years that Haruka was actually in. Nothing was said, and no real words were exchanged, but it was one of the best dreams ever. To be able to see Haruka and hear her voice was amazing in its entirety. If it did mean anything, she would be able to figure it out later. She had time.

The body lying next to her stirred and she glanced down at the dark figure. A hand touched her thigh.

"What's wrong, Michiru?" the hand caressed her thigh soothingly. The touch made Michiru calm down even more, and she placed her hand on the other.

"I'm fine. I just had a crazy dream, is all." She ran her hand through the short blonde hair before laying down. She moved closer and let the strong arms surround her. In a moment like this, all she could do was remember everything before her life changed. The vision of Haruka holding her tightly every time they slept came into view. She desperately wished for those moments back. But what she had right now had to do for the time being.

To say that Michiru moved on wouldn't be truthful. She hadn't moved on, in any sort of sense. She did fall in love again, but it was hesitantly to every extreme. She didn't want to love another woman, because no other woman was like her Haruka: amazing and caring, strong and stubborn, and so charming and endearing. No other woman could match her sex appeal, either. But something happened and she fell for somebody who she had previously known for a while. Maybe that was what led to their friendship, and ultimately their romance. It wasn't new, but it was definitely unwelcome for Michiru in the beginning. Although she knew she had to move on, it was the least of her worries through these past six years without Haruka.

All she could do was think of Haruka. Her paintings were rare, and when she did take a brush to the canvas, the piece of board was always broken in an angered frenzy. She wouldn't touch the violin, because her music wouldn't be the same if she didn't have Haruka to listen to it. She wouldn't even do a duet with any other pianist. It was clear to see that Haruka was her life, and it ultimately suffered a lot since she left.

But she knew that moving on would be healthy for her. Haruka wouldn't want her to be depressed and enclose herself off from people and the world. So she tried once again to regain the feelings she so loved with Haruka. It never happened. It probably never would, but anything close to it was good for her. She at least wanted to try.

Michiru ran her left thumb over the ring on her finger to feel the diamond. It had just happened the day before, but she still couldn't believe it. She had said yes to a question that she only envisioned she would ever say to Haruka. But she said yes nonetheless. After that dream, she was already beginning to reconsider her answer, and was wondering if she had made a mistake. With another woman, it wouldn't be the same.

"I take it you really like the ring," the voice behind her said. The arm wrapped around her reached up and grabbed her left hand. "I'm so happy that you said yes, Michiru. You mean the world to me."

Michiru didn't say anything. The arm moved down Michiru's body and rested on her thigh. Michiru couldn't resist the chills it sent down her body. The hand went under her shirt, caressing her stomach and sides. "I want you," the voice whispered in her ear.

Michiru turned around and ran her hand through the blond hair. She rubbed the arm and buried her face into the neck. It was going to be a long night of something familiar to her.

But the next morning would bring about change. All because of a dream.

* * *

**1 week later**

Michiru walked down the long corridor. There were no doors on either side of the walls, so she just kept on walking, and walking. She knew there was somebody else there, but she couldn't see anybody. But the presence was familiar and too much so.

A gust of wind blew past her, and she inhaled her breath. That feeling that she had so many times experienced came rushing back and it was intense. She was here. She was somewhere near…she could feel her.

"Haruka," she mindlessly uttered. The lights suddenly flickered off before quickly turning back on. Michiru stared ahead and saw her, standing there with an almost disappointed expression.

Haruka had her hands stuffed in her pockets and simply stared at Michiru. She seemed almost angry, but those eyes of her told a different story. Michiru knew that she was happy to see her. She could see the same love in those eyes that she saw every single day they were together. The happiness was evident, but there was something else now, and that confused Michiru.

Michiru walked toward her, but Haruka held out her hand for her to stop. The distance between them was short, but it was still too much for the violinist to bear. She wanted to be close, to feel her breath on her neck and her strong muscles under her fingertips. She knew, though, that this wasn't one of those days. The aura was different, and the mood was tense. There was something wrong.

"Why is everything so different, Haruka? Why won't you let me near you?"

Haruka gently smiled. "Nothing is different, Michiru. It's just that you have changed, and that fact changes everything."

Michiru shook her head and took another step forward. Haruka took a step back. That hurt so much. "I haven't changed, Haruka," she began, glancing away, "Sure, things are different now that you're gone, but I haven't changed." She looked up and into those green eyes. "I still love you so much, and you know I always will. I would give anything to be living my life with you."

Haruka didn't say anything for a while before slowly nodding her head. "I know that, and so would I, but-"

"Then why aren't you with me?!" Michiru rushed toward the blonde, but Haruka only kept her distance. Tears threatened to run down her cheeks, but she held them back. "You made me a promise, Haruka. You made me a promise!"

"And I intend on keeping that promise in the best way that I can."

"How? By appearing in my dreams after six years? By not letting me near you? I…I don't understand," Michiru said defeated. "I know that you're Haruka, I can see it in your eyes, but you're acting so different. What's going on?" Michiru was completely and utterly confused because it was true—six years had passed and she never once dreamt of Haruka. She thought about the blonde every single day, but not once did she have any dreams of past memories or even of what her imagination could conjure up about their possible future. She didn't have any of that, and it didn't make sense. Now all of a sudden, here she was, standing right in front of her. It had been happening for the past week, but each dream before was a lot better than this one.

Haruka crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm here to warn you, Michiru."

"Warn me? About what?"

Haruka glanced at the ring on Michiru's finger. "You can't marry her."

Michiru frowned. "I don't see why not, Haruka. I mean, shouldn't you be happy for me that I'm finally able to move on after so long?"

She put her hands back in her pockets. "That has nothing to do with it. I am happy that you're able to finally move on, even if I don't really like it, but this is your life and you can live it however you want. I just want to warn you about her before you make a mistake."

Michiru shook her head. She was angry at Haruka for saying these things. She was making assumptions about a person she didn't know, and that was unacceptable. She loved Haruka, but she changed. This wasn't the Haruka she knew six years ago.

"I don't believe you. You're not making any sense. You don't know her, Haruka!"

"And neither do you!" Haruka walked forward, pulling her hands out of her pockets and placing them at her sides. "You don't know her, Michiru. You don't know anything about her. Please, just listen to me." Her eyes became soft, and her muscles relaxed. There was sympathy in her facial expression, an almost sadness that seemed to be caused by a situation she couldn't change.

Michiru slowly reached out to grab Haruka's hand, thinking she would pull away, but she made no movements. She interlaced her fingers with the blondes and felt complete again. "I don't understand why you're telling me this, Haruka. I want to believe you, but I don't know."

"If you really cared about her, you would have told her already about these dreams, and about me." Michiru pulled her hand away and hugged herself. Haruka's eyes became sad. "You haven't told her anything about me…not one single thing. What does that say about your relationship with her?"

"I can't talk about you," All the memories from their life together came rushing back and tears started to fall. "I can't talk about you, Haruka." She looked up at the blonde. "It hurts too much, even after all these years."

Haruka looked away. She couldn't stare into those eyes of hers—they were too broken. It was all because of her. "I'm just trying to protect you Michiru." She pulled Michiru close to her. "You have to believe me. I'm just trying to watch out for you." Haruka lightly laughed to herself. "It's been so hard for me, Michiru. It's been so hard to see you in so much pain, and all I want is for you to be happy. But…just not with her."

"Will you at least tell me why?" Michiru asked, looking up into her eyes. The blonde just slowly shook her head.

"I'm not allowed to do that. You just have to believe that I'm telling you the truth. I promise you I am."

Michiru rested her forehead against Haruka's chest and grabbed on to her shirt. She started to cry and shook her head. "Don't say that."

"What?"

"Don't say those words to me. Please, just don't ever say them again."

"Michiru…"

For years, Michiru had blamed herself for Haruka's death. It was all because of that promise she figured. It might have sounded unreasonable and just plain silly, but she felt that her death was her fault. Haruka made the one promise that she couldn't keep, all for Michiru.

The lights suddenly started to flicker, and Haruka's grip on Michiru became tighter. It was time for her to leave.

"Michi…I have to go."

"No, you can't. You can't leave me like this! I haven't felt like this in six years, and now you're suddenly going to leave me!"

Haruka looked up at the lights, and one by one they started to go out. There was nothing she could do in order for her to stay. It wasn't her choice to make. Haruka lifted up Michiru's chin and smiled. "I still love you, Michiru. I always will. And I'll be watching over you. You'll get to see me again. Trust me."

It started to get darker, but they stared at each other. Haruka quickly pulled the younger girl closer and kissed her passionately. All the love they shared was being sent through that kiss and Michiru missed it so much. She missed Haruka so very much.

Then everything went black.

Michiru woke up, breathing heavily and sweating profusely. She touched her lips and began to cry. It was only a dream, but to her it felt so real.

For the past week she had been having dreams with Haruka in them. Each one was different, but she would see Haruka and hug her. That was all she was able to do before she woke up. It didn't make any sense to her why these would occur so suddenly, but then she remembered Haruka's warning.

Michiru turned on her side and stared at the outline of the body lying next to her. It had taken her so long to trust anybody ever again, and it had taken her so long to even begin to get those feelings like before. They were different in every aspect, but she figured it was good enough for her to at least be happy in some sense. But the warning Haruka gave had to be important, because she knew that she wouldn't lie to her.

Even so, Michiru still couldn't understand. There were no reasons that she could think of that would justify Haurka's words. No actions and no words that could make this girl lying next to her seem like a horrible and untrustworthy person. There was nothing at all.

But she cared about Haruka too much to disregard her words, and that kiss; it was simply amazing. She was going to be careful from now on, just to be safe, and just because Haruka asked her. She was at least going to give her that.

* * *

**1 month later**

"Are you sure you want to talk about this, Michiru?" The older girl took a sip of her coffee. "You've never mentioned her before, and I respect that."

Michiru sat down on the chair, bringing the cup to her mouth and taking a drink. "I know, but you should know. You've been so great to me, and if we're going to start our life together, then I want you to know everything about me."

The other girl nodded and sat back. "I just want to be sure because I know Haruka meant a lot to you."

"Thank you for understanding, but I feel that it would be good to talk about her and what we had."

"I understand where you're coming from, babe." She smiled and kissed Michiru on the cheek.

Michiru began to tell her everything: how she met Haruka, how they fell in love and the wonderful life and love that they shared with each other. Thinking of everything made Michiru sad, but mostly happy. She was lucky enough to experience something that so many other people seemed only to be able to imagine and dream of. Still, it was a little difficult talking about the past, but she felt it was for the best. It would help her decide something, in the end.

Across the street, from the coffee shop, stood a tall blonde wearing a long jacket with her hands in her pockets and her green eyes staring at the woman through the window as she spoke. All the people walked around her, some admiring her figure and looks, while others simply shoved her carrying on with their own business. But she wasn't paying attention to anybody or anything else. Her eyes were fixed on the violinist, the most beautiful woman she had known, and her only love. She ran a hand through her hair and sighed.

It was all going to begin today.

Haruka looked up at the sky, and noticed the clouds start to form. The sky was getting darker, and she could smell the rain that was coming. She saw lighting strike down from the corner of her eye, and waited patiently for a few seconds until she heard the thunder in the distance. She noticed people starting to walk more quickly, as other held their umbrellas tightly in their hands.

The rain started to fall in a slow drizzle. She looked back down and straight ahead into the coffee shop, taking notice of their change in body language and mannerisms. They were about to leave, and she was going to follow them.

The rain began to fall harder, and after a few minutes it was pouring down on the streets with a force that couldn't be understood. Michiru walked out of the shop, holding on to the taller girl who held the umbrella firmly above their heads. They walked slowly but quickly along the sidewalk, being careful not to slip.

Her green eyes simply followed them for a while, and she couldn't help but smile at the beauty she was staring at. The memories and the life they had shared came back to her and that smile grew even bigger. Things were different now, but she still felt the same emotions after so long.

When the couple was a safe enough distance, Haruka started to follow them while still on the other side of the street. She was soaking wet, but she didn't care; it was unimportant for the time being.

Haruka slightly turned her head to hear a sound that only she was capable of hearing: the screeching tires, the police sirens and the people screaming. It was getting closer, but everybody around her was oblivious to it all; a fact that she knew would be true.

The woman walking with Michiru suddenly and unexpectedly turned her head to stare directly in Haruka's direction. The blonde became confused, but turned away quick enough. She stared at her through her peripherals, and noticed the smirk that came to her lips. A weird feeling overcame her body, and there was something else wrong. There was more to this situation than she had been told of, and she didn't like that. For her not to know details of anything she did was a bother.

When the woman turned away, Haruka stopped. She turned her head again to listen to the sounds that were getting closer. She then heard the panting of somebody running towards to where Michiru was, and that was something unexpected, as well. There wasn't supposed to be anybody running towards them that she could remember being told of. Something was definitely wrong.

She turned around completely and faced the other direction. The two cars came speeding by, followed by police vehicles, as a helicopter hovered above. Gunshots could be heard causing people to scream and scatter to safety. She watched as the two cars sped by her with men hanging outside the window and shooting back at the police cars. They turned the corner, but she knew they were going to come back around. She turned her head towards Michiru's direction when she heard her scream.

Her lover lay on the floor writhing and grunting in pain. The rain washed away the blood down into the street, and Haruka was confused once again; she wasn't supposed to have gotten shot. She just watched the commotion from where she was, not daring to reveal herself yet.

Michiru kneeled down on the floor applying pressure to the gunshot wounds to try to stop the bleeding. "Yuka…Yuka, open your eyes and look at me." The older girl did what she was told, but was in too much pain to say anything. "You're going to be okay, you hear me? You're going to be just fine." Yuka just nodded her head in acknowledgement.

The blonde frowned at the scene. This was all wrong. She heard the cars coming back around, but coming from the direction they had sped off in. The car swerved around the corner, and she noticed that instead of the other car behind it, those men were on foot trying to escape the police. This, too, was wrong. Nothing was playing out the way she was told about.

She took a step to the side before a bullet went right past her head. She quickly glanced at Michiru before she felt the barrel of a gun against her temple.

"Should we kill him? He's seen our faces," the man said, lightly pulling the trigger. Another one came up behind him, shooting behind them at the police, making them duck behind objects and cars.

"Do whatever you want, just do it quick," he answered, before he continued to run.

The man snickered, but before he could fully pull the trigger, Haruka turned to look at him and grinned. She picked up her arm and swiped his away, then grabbed his neck and slammed him to the ground. She slammed her knee onto his wrist, making him let go of the gun. She skillfully pressed against a trigger point on his neck to knock him out before standing up. She looked up just in time to see the other man point his gun at her and pull the trigger. She nonchalantly caught the bullet in her hand, crushed it and let the dust fall to the ground. The man just dropped his gun, turned around and kept on running.

She quickly turned back to face Michiru when she heard a knife being unsheathed. A man came running up behind Michiru from the alley and grabbed her by the neck, holding the knife to her throat. It was unexpected. She carefully stared at the man, noticing that half of his face looked badly burnt, as well as parts of his arm. The burns were strange, though, and she knew it wasn't from a fire.

She noticed the police aiming their guns at the man, but of course they weren't going to fire until Michiru was safe. She turned her head to find the car coming back around again and saw the one of the men inside the car was aiming a gun at Michiru.

"No…" she said, sprinting to the other side.

One of the policemen shouted at her, "Hey, you, stay back!!"

She wasn't going to listen. She kept running, ignoring the car that was speeding towards her. Michiru looked to her direction and froze; she couldn't believe her eyes. She was standing there…Haruka was standing right there a few feet away from her.

Haruka caught a glimpse of Michiru's eyes and stopped in the middle of the road. She saw Michiru scream and turned to find the car about to hit her. She quickly reacted in the best way that she knew—she reached down and stopped the car with both of her hands, before flipping it backwards to barely miss the patrol car right behind it.

Everyone was taken aback by what had just happened, and just stared at Haruka not knowing what to believe. As everyone was distracted, Haruka was able to get behind the man who held Michiru hostage, and knocked him out. For some reason, his face didn't look burnt anymore; she had to get answers for everything later on.

"Haruka…"

She looked up and smiled. Michiru was speechless after witnessing what she just did, but that didn't matter anymore. For some unknown reason, Haruka was standing in front of her. She reached out and touched her arm thinking her hand would go through, but it didn't.

"I told you I would be seeing you soon, Michiru," she began, caressing her cheek. "I also told you that I'd always be here."

"You…you kept that promise, after all."

Haruka seemed amused. "Of course I did."

One of the policemen shouted for the others to help out with the men trapped in the upside down car. His voice got everyone's attention, so Haruka used this chance to get out of there. She would return at another time.

Before leaving, she glanced back at Yuka who was lying on the floor and noticed something that probably nobody else saw. Her face looked burnt, as well.

* * *

**This chapter wasn't as long as I wanted it to be, but that's okay. I'm sure it leaves a lot to the imagination...like what's the whole deal with Yuka and the "burn" marks. Anyway, again, hopefully it wasn't confusing. I'm sure it's obvious that Haruka didn't survive the crash, sadly, but she's back. Well, review if you'd like. Take care!**

**-Nightfall5029  
**


	4. If Only For You

**Firstly, I would like to thank everyone who reviewed. I appreciate it a lot, because I like to know what everyone thinks. It really helps me to know whether I'm doing a good job or not. So, thank you so much! I hope to keep writing good chapters. :D**

**So, here's the fourth chapter. I tried to get it up as soon as possible, but work is being a lot for me right now. Anyway, I'm sure the last chapter was confusing, but it won't be cleared up until the sixth chapter probably. Ha. But this one isn't too long, and is only really for explanations. I've read through it a lot, and wasn't too pleased with it, but I'll make it up in my next chapter. :D Anyway, I hope ya'll enjoy. Take care!  
**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything, except for the plot.**

* * *

**The Only Promise You Ever Made**

**Chapter 4-If Only For You**

**6 Years Earlier**

"You like it, huh?" Haruka asked, walking to the side of the car with her hands in her pockets.

Yuka looked up and grinned. "Yeah, it's a great car. I mean, you're an amazing racer. I'm just admiring it, is all."

Haruka nodded her head. "How long have you been a mechanic?"

"For as long as I can remember." She ran her finger along the front of the car. "I can have a car do whatever I want it to," she explained with a cocky grin.

"I'm sure you can, but everybody has their limits," the blonde retorted, wiping off the car where her finger had been.

Yuka put her hands behind her back and shrugged. "I guess so, but that's where I differ, Haruka. Although, I could see where that applies to racers, but mechanics? No, if it weren't for us, then you wouldn't be as great as you are."

Haruka laughed. "I think you got it wrong…Yuka. If it weren't for us racers, for people who have a passion for driving, you wouldn't be needed." She scratched her head. "Actually, _I _don't need you all too much." She walked up to Yuka and patted her back. "So have your fun, kid, because it won't last too long."

Yuka watched Haruka walk off without a glance back to her. She grinned and just ignored her words; they were of no importance to her. She looked back at the car and ran her finger along it once more, bending down to study the tires. "You'll see, Haruka," she began, grinding her fingers against the tire, "I can control your life."

* * *

Haruka sat in the car, her hands tightly gripping the steering wheel before letting it go. She stayed behind the white line, getting ready to win this race, but she felt different. The emotions running through her weren't just adrenaline and pride, they were different. She felt cautious, like she needed to be more aware during this race. She could feel that something was wrong today, and for once in her life, this was a race that she didn't want to part of.

"Haruka, this race should be pretty straightforward. There's nothing that I really need to tell you. As always, just be careful and win us another trophy…" Haruka nodded her head. "Then when it's all done, you can be with Michiru as much as you'd like." She could only smile when her manager laughed.

This would be Haruka's last race. She was going to retire after it, and then it would be all over. She would be able to spend everyday with Michiru. She wouldn't have to wake up early for practices or races, and she wouldn't have to travel for long periods of time. She was doing all of this for Michiru; so that they could be together more, because that woman was all she needed in order to be happy for the rest of her life.

The race started and she sped off. As everything was going smoothly, her nerves had finally relaxed after all her thinking. She gained the leady fairly easily and quickly, and was able to keep it throughout the entirety of the race.

There were only ten laps remaining, and she was in her element. There were no more worries since everything had been going fine. She kept the lead, and she raced with a speed that she never had. She honestly just wanted to get the race over with, for everything to be done so that she could live a better life with Michiru by her side.

A voice suddenly came on the microphone, "Haruka…Haruka you need to get out of this race right now!"

"Michiru…" she whispered to herself. For some reason, by the way that she said those words Haruka knew that something definitely was wrong. There was no doubt about it now. "Kenji, what's going on?!" she demanded.

"Everything is fine Haruka," he answered calmly.

"Do you want me to get out like Michiru said?"

"No-"

"Then why'd she say…"

"I don't-"

"Are you sure nothing's wrong?" she asked once more, still feeling uneasy.

"No, it's fine. Just keep racing."

Haruka let it go after that, deciding that it's better to just drop it than worry too much about it, but she couldn't help her self. The desperate tone that Michiru spoke her caused her to worry. She sounded afraid, but she didn't know what to make of it. Maybe there was something she knew that Haruka didn't.

Haruka shut her eyes then blinked a little. She shook her head and tried to calm down. There had to be nothing wrong…everything was going to be okay. She just needed to relax and finish the race; there were only nine more laps to go.

Haruka looked in her rearview mirror, noticing a car coming up on the side of her. It was going too fast of a speed for her to even think of speeding up, especially for the turn that was coming up. The car moved away before quickly moving back and slammed Haruka's car into the wall. She hit it with an extreme amount of force, and she could hear the car scraping against the concrete. She tried to regain control again, when she suddenly heard the other cars tires screech. She heard a clicking sound, and cursed to herself.

She knew that sound all too well. There was nothing she could do but wait to see what happened. The car that clipped her sped up, and her car jerked forward. It went to the left, releasing the hold it had on her car before speeding off. Haruka lost control of her car as she spun continuously. She tried to regain control, but nothing was working for her. She heard an engine nearing her and turned to her left.

"Michiru…"

Another car came up and hit her on the driver side. She could feel the metal caving in on her body and legs, and her body jerked to the side. It seemed like forever to her, but at the same time, another car stopped in front of hers. She heard the noises of the crash, and the loud screams coming from the audience. The screech of the tires and roar from the engines rang in her ear, as the smell of burnt rubber filled her lungs.

The car flipped and started to roll. There was nothing that she could do really, except hope that she would last this. It wasn't long before she went unconscious.

* * *

"Haruka…you need to wake up now."

Haruka stirred. She very slowly opened her eyes, but immediately shut them and grunted when they came in contact with bright light. She moved her arm over her eyes to partially block the light from directly hitting her eyes before opening them again.

"C'mon, Haruka…you need to get up."

She didn't recognize the voice at all. She rolled on her side to stare at a pair of bare feet. The person wiggled its toes in amusement. "Who…who are you?" she managed, lifting herself up into a sitting position.

"I'm your mentor," the voice casually answered.

Harruka was finally able to fully open her eyes. She looked around her, finding that there was nothing around her but whiteness. She glanced down at her hands and took notice of the cuts all over, but there was no pain. Her clothes were bloody, and she could see cuts and bruises on other parts of her body, but she didn't feel any pain whatsoever.

"Where am I?" she asked, finally looking up at the person standing in front of her.

It was a young man, probably about in his mid-twenties. He was tall, but full figured. He had short blonde hair and blue eyes, and a smile that seemed sincere and genuine. "Where do you think you are?"

Haruka slowly stood up. She glanced again at her body: the dry blood, the torn clothes and all of the cuts and bruises. She slowly closed her eyes, and the accident flashed in her head. She shook her head; there was no way it could be the possibility that she thought. There was no way she could be…

"…I'm…I'm dead, aren't I?" she asked, looking at the man.

He nodded his head, and placed his hands behind his back. "I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but yes you are, Haruka."

She couldn't believe it. There was no possible way that she could be dead. She couldn't die…shouldn't have died. "I…I don't understand. I thought I was going to survive that accident. I mean, I'm a strong person, and mentally able to handle anything that could harm me. It doesn't make any sense. I…"

Haruka mumbled on to herself, trying to think of another plausible reason, since to her, she couldn't be dead. It was unreasonable, and especially unacceptable. She stared at the man. "This is all a dream, right? I'm just dreaming this and I'm going to wake up in the hospital or something and everything is going to be okay," she said, pinching and slapping herself.

"Haruka, please stop doing that. You're not going to accomplish anything. This isn't a dream."

She went and stood in front of the man. "Then you need to take me back."

He frowned. "I don't understand."

She grabbed his shirt with both hands. "You need to put me back in my body! Like…let me go back and come to life and get better! That's what I mean!"

He just smiled and released himself from Haruka's grip. "I'm sorry, but I can't do that. It's against the rules. Besides, it's already been a week back on Earth." He laughed to himself. "You know how weird it would look if you came back now?"

Haruka couldn't understand why he was laughing at her. This was no laughing matter where she was concerned.

"Haruka," he began, touching her arm. She immediately calmed down and stopped pacing. "It's going to be okay."

She shook her head and rubbed her neck. "No…no, you don't understand. I…," he stared into his eyes, "I made her a promise. I made her a promise!" The tears finally started to come to her, and she let them. This was too much for her to bear to let her pride get in the way. She fell to her knees and slammed her fists against the ground. "I made her a promise, and the least I could do was keep it." She broke down, as her shoulders shook and her cries were loud. "I can't leave her all by herself. I…I can't be without her." If it was up to her, she wouldn't be where she was now. The last thing she wanted to do was leave Michiru by herself, because she could only imagine the pain she must be going through due to all of this. She was gone, and Michiru was alone. Haruka roughly wiped at her eyes. "We would have been happy…I would have spent everyday of my life making her happy," she muttered.

The man stood there, his hands still behind his back. He did, in all respect, sympathize for her, but there was nothing that could be done about it. What happened already happened, and he didn't have the power to change that or go back in time. It wasn't his call.

Another man came up behind him and handed him a stack of papers. "Sir, there seems to be more missing, and we don't know what's going on. They're either missing or end up becoming a fallen angel, and we can't explain any of it."

He sighed. "There has to be something else going on that we're not considering, Matthew. Go over the documents again, and keep monitoring the fallen ones; maybe we could find out something from their behavior."

Matthew nodded before running off and disappearing. The man turned back to Haruka to find her calmed down to a degree. She seemed out of it, extremely upset and depressed, but it would soon pass. It always passed eventually.

"Haruka," the woman on the ground looked up, "my name is Caleb, and I'm going to help you with everything. Ok?"

"The only way you can help me is to let me be with Michiru," she retorted.

He just sighed and offered his hand to her. She hesitated for a while before finally letting him help her off the ground. She was angry, completely frustrated with the reality of it all, but sulking wouldn't do her any good; she was better than that. "So, what now? Am I in heaven or something?"

"It's whatever you want it to be. If that's what you think then great. If you come to a different conclusion later on, then that's great, too. Whatever you decide on, it's all okay."

Haruka nodded her head. She was still in shock that she didn't survive the crash, and upset about breaking her only promise to Michiru; she couldn't even keep one little promise to the woman she loved. She really was pathetic, but there was nothing she could do about it. As stubborn as she was, this was one thing that she wouldn't be able to change.

She ran a hand through her hair. "I just wish there was something I could do for her, you know? I can only imagine how she's feeling right now."

Caleb patted her arm. "Actually, that's what I'm here for," he began, suddenly holding a manila folder. "We've gone over your lifestyle, Haruka: your behavior, thoughts and actions…and you passed," he finished with a smile.

She frowned. "Passed what?"

He smiled. "You're going to be allowed to be a guardian angel, Haruka, and you get to choose who you want to protect." He held out his hand to stop her from speaking. "And…we already know you're going to choose Michiru so you don't need to explain anything."

Haruka was still confused. "I don't think I really understand what you're saying," she admitted, scratching the back of her head.

"If a person who comes here has lived a good life, by our standards of course, then they're allowed to become a guardian angel, which basically means that you're able to watch over a person…but only one. You can protect them, and make sure that they're safe in every possible way."

Haruka blankly stared at him. "So, you're saying that I can be Michiru's guardian angel?" Caleb nodded his head. "Uh...that's…that's great…right?"

"It is actually. You can make sure that she never gets hurt. You're going to be her guardian angel, Haruka, her protector."

Haruka thought about the whole situation, and it was an opportunity that she would be foolish to pass on. Even if she wouldn't physically be with Michiru, the idea of just seeing her and protecting her was more than enough to make her say yes. She looked at Caleb. "I'm still upset about all of this, you know?"

He nodded his head. "That's completely understandable."

"But this changes a lot. I'll be able to keep my promise to Michiru, even if it's in a different way."

"Exactly, but there are rules, Haruka."

"Like what?"

"I'll explain them when it's necessary."

Caleb snapped his fingers, and Haruka's clothes and appearance instantly changed. She looked down at herself to find no more scratches, cuts and bruises. Her body felt stronger and more resilient now. Instead of her racing uniform, she was now wearing a white suit and black tie.

She tightened the tie. "Is this what all guardian angels wear?"

"No, but I knew that you'd like this."

Haruka smiled. "It wouldn't matter…I look good in anything," she joked. Even if her life was different now, there was no reason for her to blame Caleb, or anyone else for that matter. Maybe while being Michiru's guardian angel she would be able to find out what really happened, and who was behind it. Although, it probably wouldn't change anything since she would be able to confront them, but she would rather know then be left confused about it all.

When she was fixing her suit, she felt something in the front jacket pocket. She reached in and pulled out a folded picture. She opened it then frowned at what it was.

"This is…"

"It was in your racing suit. You're allowed to keep it if you want."

Haruka ran her thumb over the worn picture. It was one of Michiru and her, on the day that they got married. It was a candid photo, which made it all the more appealing and sincere, as the emotions and love in their eyes could be easily noticed. She always carried it with her when she raced for good luck, and it never seemed to fail her.

"I…wish I could be with her," she began, folding the picture back up. She looked up at Caleb. "I'm not sure if I want to do this anymore, Caleb."

"What're you talking about?"

"I would love to protect Michiru, I really would, but…" She mindlessly fiddled with the ring on her left hand.

Caleb noticed the ring, forgetting that they allowed her to keep that, as well. "Why are you having second thoughts so suddenly?"

"This is just still a lot for me to take in. I'm dead, and Michiru is still alive and probably miserable without me. I feel the exact same right now. I'm miserable…completely and utterly lost without her. I just don't know if I can do this. I don't know if I can see her like that and live with the fact that I can't change it. There's nothing I can do to make her happy anymore and that was something I promised to do."

Caleb walked over to her and took the picture from her hand. He stared at the memory on the paper. "I can tell from this picture how much you two love each other, and I can only imagine how difficult it must be, but think about it, Haruka." He placed the picture back in the front pocket of her jacket. "Close your eyes for me." Haruka did what she was told. "Now, open them," he said a few seconds later.

Haruka looked around, noticing the trees and the area around her. "What're we doing here?"

"I want you to see her," he explained, turning around.

Haruka turned around and stopped. There she was…only a few feet away from her. "Michi…"

Michiru sat on her knees in front of a tombstone, her body slumped forward and her eyes dry. She had already cried enough and there were no more tears left to shed, but the pain was strong as ever. Her life had completely changed when she saw Haruka's body, so still and so very cold. It was hard for her to fathom for a while, and she didn't want to believe something so crazy and unexpected like that could happen. She couldn't even believe how much it hurt, but she let those feelings come. They were highly unwelcomed, but too difficult to push away. There was nothing she could do now, but wish and imagine. Her thoughts were all that she had left of her lover, and it was all she would ever have for a long time.

Michiru wrapped the long sleeve shirt tighter around her small frame, taking in the scent as much as possible. Haruka's shirts still smelled like her, and that was something she was thankful for. With the smell came the feelings and with that, came a time where it felt like everything was still the same. This was what kept Michiru sane. But she knew that it wouldn't last long, and when that time came, she wasn't sure what she was going to do.

Haruka stood there behind her with her hands in her pockets. It felt like forever since she had seen Michiru, but she still remembered her beauty and the last moments they spent together. She would give anything to go back to that. But, seeing Michiru in this state made everything seem more real than ever.

Caleb stood by her side and looked at her. "Have you made your decision yet?"

When Caleb told Haruka that she would have the chance of being Michiru's guardian angel, her response was quick. But when she thought about it, and all the pain that she would have to deal with, she wasn't sure what to do. She loved Michiru more than anything, but she was selfish, as well.

If she became a guardian angel, she could watch Michiru and be with her, but that was all. She wouldn't be able to speak with her, or touch her, or do anything. She would simply watch her, and see her try to be happy. The thought was heartbreaking because she would have to see Michiru in pain, and it hurt to know that there would be nothing she could do to change that. But at least she could watch her and make sure that she was safe. That alone was better than nothing. Haruka was dead to everybody, but with the chance she had just been given, she would be able to have control of something, and protect a life that she would give anything to make sure was safe and happy.

"Yeah, I think I have," she answered. She knelt beside Michiru and tried to touch her, but her hand just went through. She sighed before getting back up to face Caleb. "I'll do this…if only to make sure she's safe."

Caleb smiled and nodded his head. "As I mentioned earlier, I'll explain the rules as you go along, and your powers will come naturally to you so don't worry about everything." She nodded. "One more thing, and this is extremely important." He sighed and rubbed his neck. "Guardian angels have been disappearing for the past few months, and we can't explain any of it. We don't have any leads so just be careful, Haruka."

"Yeah, don't worry. I think I can take care of myself, Caleb."

The man simply smiled before disappearing. Haruka looked down at Michiru and her heart just kept breaking. There was so much resentment that she held in her heart due to everything that happened because it took her away from Michiru, but nothing could be done about it. This was her life now, and to be Michiru's guardian angel, would be the only way that she could live it with her.

Michiru slowly got up from the ground. Haruka just stared at her, the urge to simply hold her eating away at her. She still loved her so very much, but the anger was gone, and she was just broken. Their future was gone now, and all that she had left were the memories and those feelings. They were going to stay, but she wanted so much more, even if it was impossible to obtain.

Michiru, again, tightened the shirt around her body then rubbed her eyes. "Always, Ruka…I'll always love you," she whispered.

Haruka frowned and stuffed her hands in her pockets. This was already beginning to be too much for her to handle. She went to stand behind her and put her mouth next to her ear. "And forever, Michi," she finished. She shut her eyes and pulled her face away. She knew that Michiru wouldn't be able to hear her, but she had to say it anyway.

Michiru turned and walked away. Haruka stared at her for a while before she followed directly behind her.

* * *

The first month was extremely difficult for Haruka. She didn't like the change that Michiru had gone through all because of her death, but there was nothing that could be done and that fact annoyed her.

Michiru didn't sleep well, and when she did doze off, she would wake up because of a nightmare. Haruka would just be there, staring at her. She wanted to comfort her lover, hold her and tell her that everything was all right, but then she would be lying. Michiru's life was completely different without Haruka, and even if Haruka could do something, she wasn't sure it would even be enough.

Michiru didn't eat too much, and her social life and career suffered greatly. She stayed in their home laying on their bed. All of Haruka's clothes were scattered across the bed, and the pictures of them were turned face down throughout the house. She left the TV on every single night, because it gave her some sort of comfort, since it was a habit that Haruka had. Besides that, she was just an empty shell with no real chance of recovery.

It was all driving Haruka insane. She was angry, and could only feel disappointment for herself. This was all her fault—she was destroying the one person she ever loved.

One night, when Michiru had been able to fall asleep, Haruka sat on a chair in the room and stared at the ceiling. Three months had gone by, and there seemed to be no significant change in Michiru's behavior, but she couldn't blame her.

Caleb unexpectedly appeared in the room. "Haruka, how is everything?"

She didn't look at him. "Awful…"

He glanced at Michiru before turning back to the blonde. "Why do you say that when she's obviously safe?"

She sighed. "There's no reason in being safe when you have no desire to even be alive and happy." She sat up in her chair. "She's miserable, Caleb." She got up and went to stand in front of him. "There has to be something that I can do…because her lifestyle right now isn't healthy, and it's destroying me to see her like this." Her face and tone were desperate, and she could only hope that he would allow her to intervene in her life in some sort of way.

Caleb put his hands behind his back. "It's not your job to interfere with her life, Haruka. You're just supposed to protect her, and that's all."

"But what's the point when she's basically killing herself in a way that I can't prevent?! It doesn't make any sense. I mean, can't I at least do something to show her that I'm here…that I still love her?"

"Rule number one, Haruka—we are not allowed to intervene in their personal life. I can't allow you to contact her in any way, nor can I allow you to try to prevent what she's doing to herself. Unless some sort of outside force is going to cause her harm, then you can't interfere."

"Then what's the point? She's hurting herself…she's killing herself right in front of me! I'm her guardian angel so there has to be something!" Haruka was beginning to get angry at Caleb, and if it was up to her, she would have intervened a long time ago. Michiru was slowly killing herself, and Haruka knew that if something didn't change then her duty as a guardian angel would have been in vain and completely useless.

She looked at Caleb and her expression softened. "Please, Caleb, let me at least do something to help her."

He sighed and paced the room. "You do realize that by breaking this rule, you'll be punished?"

"What're you talking about? How can I be punished for something that will benefit the person I'm protecting?"

"Haruka, everything we do has rules. We can't just go around doing what we want. Everybody makes their own choices and their own decisions, and all we do is make sure that they don't get hurt along the way. It's not our position to change what they have already decided upon."

Haruka grabbed her hair out of frustration. "This doesn't make any sense! How can you just stand there and tell me that doing this little thing will jeopardize everything? I just want to make sure that she's still alive for me to protect!" She put her hands at her side and the anger she had at the moment formed them into fists.

Caleb noticed, and frowned. He knew that there was no way of getting through to her. She was too stubborn in her own right. "Haruka, please, calm down."

"No! I will not calm down when the woman I love is dying!" she yelled, tears welling up because of her anger. "She's slowly dying, and I have to be able to do something for her!" She walked closer to him, invading his personal space. "If you don't let me do something, Caleb, I swear I'll-"

"You'll what? You'll punch me? You'll kill me? That won't accomplish anything, and besides, that's impossible." He lightly pushed her away. "Haruka, you need to calm down before you do something rash," he warned.

Suddenly two men appeared in the room. They wore chest armor, and had swords sheathed on their left side with their left hand resting on the hilt.

"What is this? Who are these guys?"

Caleb held his hand out to the men so they wouldn't proceed with what he knew was going to come. "Haruka, you really need to relax. If you don't, then you'll lose your privilege as an angel and then Michiru will be gone, for sure."

Haruka didn't want to listen to him, but she knew there was no other choice. She stuffed her hands into her pockets and looked away. She was still angry, that was certain, but she decided that being unreasonable and impulsive wasn't the best thing at the moment; it wouldn't benefit anybody.

The two men disappeared as quickly as they had arrived. Caleb sighed and put his arms behind his back. "You may not understand everything, Haruka, but the rules must be followed."

"What if I accept the punishment?"

He frowned at her. "You mean you really want to break the rule in order to help her?"

She nodded her head. "If I'm going to be her guardian angel, then I have to sacrifice something myself in order for her to be safe." She walked closer to him. "I'm willing to do anything."

Caleb rubbed his eyes. "You really are a stubborn one."

She scoffed at his words. "I might be, but I'm really just in love."

He didn't say anything in response. He snapped his fingers and a folder appeared in his hand. He opened it and looked through the papers, quickly browsing through each page. "Are you entirely sure you want to do this?"

"I am."

"For all guardian angels, after they save the person for the first time, they are allowed to appear in their dreams. It's a limited and random amount of time given for them to see the person. They can talk, hug each other…anything that wouldn't interfere with the already set rules.

"In order for you to help her, you would have to give up this privilege for six years. You'll still be able to protect her, but only in six years will you be able to appear in her dreams."

"That doesn't sound too bad to me."

Caleb threw the folder in the air and it disintegrated into dust. "Haruka, this isn't as easy as you think. Every guardian angel would do anything else before they gave up that privilege. It's the single chance they get to be with the person and see them happy for once."

"If I don't do this, then the time I do have to do that won't even be worth it," she answered.

He just nodded his head. "If this is what you really want, then that's your choice." He walked to her and grabbed her hand. A shock went through Haruka's right arm and she pulled her hand away. A glowing yellow bracelet appeared around her wrist.

"What's this for?"

"It's to prevent you from entering her dreams," he answered. "Now, do what you need to do." Caleb turned to leave, but stopped and looked back at Haruka. "I have a feeling you're going to change a lot of things around here, Haruka." He laughed. "You're going to be trouble for me, aren't you?"

She grinned and shrugged her shoulders. He just shook his head before disappearing.

Haruka looked down at the bracelet and sighed. If this was what had to be done, then that was fine with her. She would give anything to make sure that Michiru was going to, at least, survive. She just wanted her to be happy. She glanced at Michiru and smiled.

Michiru awoke to the sound of music in another room. She couldn't remember leaving anything on, and so her first thought was that somebody else was in the house. She searched her room for anything that she could use to protect herself, and finally decided on the lamp next to her bed.

She walked out of her room into the hallway, taking slow and small steps as to prevent the wooden floor from creaking under her. As she walked toward the room, nothing around her seemed to be different; everything was the exact same. The only thing was that she was certain that she didn't leave any music on.

She entered the music room to find a CD being played on the stereo. Nothing else was different, and it didn't seem like anybody had broken in during the night. She finally calmed down and placed the lamp on the floor near the door. She walked toward the stereo to turn it off, but noticed something on the piano. She went to stand in front of it, and her heart jumped.

Written across the white keys in some sort of black marker were the words:

_I'm still here, Michiru…always…_

Michiru traced her fingers along the keys, re-reading each word in her head over and over again. She didn't know how this happened, but she knew who was behind it. That alone brought a smile to her face and tears started to fall down her cheeks.

The violinist fell to her knees and cried. She held her face and her shoulders shook as her sobs filled the room.

"Haruka…I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," she repeated. She knew what she had been doing to herself, and she could only think how much pain she caused Haruka because of hers. She had slowly been killing herself, on purpose, but she didn't see anything wrong with that. There was no reason for her to live, because a world without Haruka wasn't a world worth living in.

Haruka stood against the wall with her hands in her pockets. She stared at the woman on the floor, sympathy and love flowing through her body. It was painful to see her in so much pain, especially since she knew how guilty she must have felt right now. But, she hoped that things were going to get better, so she could protect her like she promised.

She went and kneeled down next to her. The younger woman kept on crying, an extremely painful scene for the blonde, especially since she couldn't comfort her. She sighed and looked away. "I wish you could see me," she began, looking back. "I'm sure it would make things easier for the both of us."

The gleam of the yellow bracelet caught her eye. She gave up being able to see Michiru in her dreams for six years, all so the woman wouldn't keep killing herself the way she was.

She thought about it, and hated the fact, but didn't regret her decision. Even if those six years of not being able to speak with Michiru were going to destroy her, it was for the better.

* * *

**Well, that's all. I'm sure it's obvious what role Yuka will play in here, and I gave the guy an American name just because...no real reason for it. But the next chapter will definitely be a lot longer--I have so much to explain. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it. Review if you'd like. Take care!**

**-Nightfall5029**


	5. More Than Once

**I know it's been a long time, but here's another chapter. :) It just took me a long time to complete...damn writer's block. It's all good now. This continues from the one before, and isn't back to the present time yet. I hope this chapter is good, and I really am hoping to finish the next one. Hopefully writer's block won't come back any time soon. I hope ya'll enjoy this chapter. Take care! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything, except for the plot. **

* * *

**The Only Promise You Ever Made**

**Chapter 5-More Than Once**

**1 month later**

Haruka was right to think that this was going to be difficult for her. It was a relief to see Michiru doing well once again; there was no question about it. It wasn't easy not being able to talk to her, to touch her, to even have Michiru see her. She was around Michiru for almost every minute of every day, but it wasn't the same. All she could do was watch her, admire her movements, smile at the way she laughed and simply fall in love with every single aspect of her personality once again. It was the same things she experienced so many times before when they were together, but it was so different. Haruka was falling in love, over and over again, with the only girl she ever truly loved, and yet, they were two worlds apart. But this was what she had to do for Michiru so that she would be okay, so that she could still smile, even if it was different in a small way.

Even so, as much as she was protecting Michiru, it was all simply unbearable to the blonde. Her heart would break with each second that passed. She wished so desperately that she could just look at Michiru in the eyes and smile, and it would reveal everything that she felt for the younger woman. It would be just like before, but that was all gone now. Each morning she would smile at Michiru when she woke up, but it wasn't returned. The uncontrollable yearning she had to hold Michiru went unanswered and the three words she constantly whispered were lost in the wind. She was alone…and it was something she would have to face for six years.

When she gave up her privilege of being able to see Michiru in her dreams, she never imagined it would be this difficult for her. All she wanted was to talk to Michiru, to feel her skin under her fingertips, but all that and everything else she wished for would never come true. Haruka wasn't real anymore, and neither would their relationship ever be again.

Haruka sat down on the bed, watching Michiru getting ready to go out shopping. Caleb appeared in the room with his hands behind his back and looking at Haruka.

"I'm guessing she's doing a lot better?" he asked, glancing at Michiru.

She nodded her head. "Yeah, she's finally getting out of here and doing stuff for herself. She still hasn't touched her violin or a paintbrush, but I'm hoping she will eventually."

He nodded his head. "Now," he began, sitting down next to her, "how are you doing?"

She glanced down and rubbed her neck. "I'm doing okay, I guess."

"Are you still upset about all of this?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. I wish all the time to be back with Michiru…I miss her terribly. But, at least I'm able to do this and make sure she's safe. That's better than nothing." She looked at the bracelet, rotating it around her wrist.

"Do you regret it?"

"No…I don't think I ever will. I just didn't expect it to be this hard, but it's for the best."

"Is that what you believe, or something that you're just telling yourself?"

Haruka sighed and ran a hand through her hair. She honestly didn't regret her decision, because it was something she wanted. She just wished that there was some way she could talk with Michiru, some way that she could touch her face…even for a second. It would be a moment that she would cherish forever.

"In the future, will there ever be a time that I could see Michiru?"

"You'll appear in her dreams in six years."

She shook her head and turned to him. "No, I mean really see her. Are angels able to take a human form or anything like that?"

Caleb stood up, and Michiru walked right through him. "Rule number two, Haruka-we are not allowed to be seen by anybody…"

"I figured you were going to say something like that."

"At least until it's necessary. There are certain circumstances that could happen that would allow an angel to take a human form, in order to protect the person, but this rarely happens."

She stood up. "What kind of circumstances?"

"That's not really important, Haruka. The point is, there are ways, but like I said, it is rare and highly unlikely. It's also dangerous even when allowed."

"Do we lose our powers in the process?"

"No, those stay with you. It's just that so much can happen during that time. Fallen angels usually attack guardian angels during this time…simply out of hatred. When they hurt you, then they hurt you, Haruka."

"What do you mean? We're already dead so it's not like anything bad can happen to us." Caleb didn't say anything. "Right?"

Caleb sighed. "Fallen angels are the only people who know how to hurt a guardian angel. They know how to destroy you, and even make you become just like them."

Haruka shook her head. "That won't happen to me, so you don't have to worry. I don't even know if I'll get this chance to be human again."

"It doesn't matter…they can still get to you."

Haruka had been careful this last month, and hadn't even seen or come in contact with anybody who seemed like a fallen angel. She didn't know whether there were distinct features, or they seemed just like ordinary people. She needed to be even more careful and aware from now on…not for her safety, but that of Michiru. Her life and happiness was all that mattered to her, and even though she couldn't provide the latter to her anymore, than the former would be her priority forever.

"Just be really careful, Haruka. I wouldn't want anything to happen to you," he said, before disappearing.

Haruka ran a hand through her hair and stared at Michiru. She seemed like herself for once, and Haruka was relieved that she was slowly starting to put her life back together again, even if she wouldn't be a part of it.

Michiru looked at herself in the mirror, fixing her hair and adjusting some make-up. Haruka stood there behind her, staring at her face, at her beauty and just the simplicity of it all. She walked closer and slowly traced Michiru's face on the mirror, since it was the only thing she could touch that was even close to being her. The violinist smiled before walking away, and Haruka's hand turned into a fist. She just needed to keep telling herself that it was all for Michiru. Always for her.

* * *

**2 months later**

For the most part, Michiru was never in any real danger. There were the occasional things that Haruka had no control over, which were caused more by her own clumsiness than anything else. These instances were nothing serious, or even caused by an outside force that seemed to put Michiru in any sort of risk that could potentially be fatal. Even so, Haruka still watched out for her, to make sure that even these little things wouldn't turn into anything serious or life threatening. The last thing she wanted was for something that severe to happen to her.

There were days, though, where Haruka would feel horrible, and still become angry with the reality of her whole situation, but she would forget about it. Then there were the days where it seemed like Michiru was the one feeling miserable. She would have nightmares, and she would cry out for Haruka…even repeating out loud that the blonde had made her a promise. These times made her realize the amount of pain she was putting this woman through and that bothered her so much. She would just sit there staring at Michiru because she was helpless.

At times, Haruka would lie next to her on the bed, desperately wishing that there was a way she could hold the woman against her and just simply enjoy that moment. She would whisper those three words constantly, somehow thinking that her persistence would change it all and they would be heard; it was all futile. All she could do was watch her, and convince herself that it was better than nothing.

The blonde did a lot of convincing. She kept trying to remind herself that this was how it was and that it couldn't be changed no matter how much she hated it. Each time she saw the utter sadness and helplessness in Michiru's eyes, a part of her broke. She still loved her, a feeling that could never subside, but it wasn't enough to help her lover. Michiru was falling apart, but Haruka knew she desperately tried to put herself back together. It just wouldn't be the same even if she did find a way. Haruka knew nothing would ever be the same again for them.

-----

It was a Saturday afternoon, and Michiru was walking around downtown, enjoying the beautiful day that seemed to clear her mind. Haruka followed her, hands in her pockets while she glanced around. So far, nothing had happened to her lover, and she was hoping it would stay like that for the most part.

Michiru stopped on the sidewalk to glance through a shop window at some jewelry. She didn't want to buy any, but she admired the bright colors and shine emitted from each diamond. She sighed and rubbed the ring on her left hand. She hadn't taken off that ring, not even once, because it meant too much to her. She kept it on because it was a constant reminder of Haruka, and of the devoted love she simply showed every single day of their life together. No hesitations, no boundaries and definitely no secrets. Haruka showed and gave her everything, so much affection, so much understanding, but she never really asked for anything in return. "All I need is to see that smile of yours, to see that look in your eyes, and I know that you're happy. I know that you're mine forever, Michi," the blonde had explained one time before they got married.

Michiru knew she could never find the happiness that she shared with Haruka, no matter how mercilessly she tried. It would simply be unattainable because there was nobody else who could make her smile the way the blonde did, or still make her blush after spending so many years together. She glanced down at her wedding ring and smiled. She knew fully well how much Haruka loved her, and she wasn't about to waste her life away in return.

Haruka could only imagine what Michiru was thinking, as she too, mindlessly played with the ring around her finger. She leaned against the wall and stared at the woman, admiring the beauty that she couldn't seem to ever get enough of. She missed her so much.

The blonde became distracted when she smelled the scent of water. She looked up to the sky and noticed the dark clouds starting to overpower the once clear blue sky. She was confused, since it was such a beautiful day only moments before. The rain started to fall in a drizzle, and she turned to Michiru. The younger woman glanced up and frowned, before quickly walking down the sidewalk to find some shelter from the downpour.

The rain developed in speed quickly, and Haruka was worried about the many different possibilities that could happen in this type of weather. She stayed close to Michiru, glancing everywhere to make sure she was safe for every second that seemed to pass slowly.

Haruka suddenly got a disturbing feeling, and she stopped. She turned to the left to see a man standing there in a trench coat with his hands in his pockets. He wore sunglasses, which was odd in this kind of weather, but Haruka knew that he was staring right at her. She clenched her fist, staring right back at him with the same intensity she was sure that he had right now. She didn't know who he was, or what he wanted, but she knew that she needed to watch his movements and behavior for the sake of keeping Michiru safe.

The man across the street grinned, and that show of emotion made Haruka angry. He wasn't doing anything wrong, but just his behavior was upsetting to her in every sort of way. This man had some sort of ulterior motive that she didn't know about, and that drove her crazy. He slowly pulled out his finger and pointed to the direction that Michiru was walking. She became confused, but turned in that direction anyway.

Michiru was gone.

Haruka panicked. She quickly looked back at the man, but he was gone. She cursed to herself and scanned the area, walking along the sidewalk to try to find where Michiru could have possibly gone. The rain beat down on her, and even though she was an angel, she felt every single drop. It seeped through her clothes and to her bones, chilling her at the core, but she wasn't going to slow down. She wasn't going to let anything happen to Michiru…she had made her a promise.

As she jogged around the area, she could only think of how stupid she was. She was foolish to just stand there and stare at that man…to keep thinking about how creepy he looked, but she couldn't help it. She felt like he was going to do something, but maybe he was only distracting her. She suddenly thought of something—how did he even see her in the first place?

Haruka dismissed that question for the time being, deciding that she just needed to focus on finding Michiru right now. She looked down alleyways, looking for any sort of sign that Michiru had passed through, looking for any small glimpse of her aqua colored hair, but she found nothing. She was freaking out, going crazy inside as her heart slowly started to shatter and she became afraid for what could have happened to her love.

That was when she heard it—the shallow, muffled breathing and the rustling of an apparent struggle. She ran to an alleyway further up the sidewalk and turned into it. She froze. Michiru was up against the wall, a man holding her back as his hands roamed her body and his mouth glided across her neck. Another man leaned against the opposite wall casually smoking a cigarette.

Haruka's blood boiled as the anger coursed through her body. She ran up to the man, ready to tackle him, but she just went through him. She regained her balance and hit her fist against the wall. Even though she could feel the rain, and touch inanimate objects, she wasn't allowed to actually touch people. She cursed to herself and ran a hand through her hair. She looked around, searching for something that could make these men get away from Michiru…before it was too late.

The sounds of struggling and displeasure were torture to her ears as each one slowly ripped a piece of her heart; it was difficult for her to focus. She noticed a fire escape above the man leaning against the wall, and immediately jumped up the wall to the first level. She quickly grabbed the ladder and slid it down with enough force to knock the man unconscious when it came in contact with his head. The other man turned around to find his partner on the floor, blood seeping from his head.

Michiru took this chance to kick his shin, and then punch him in the face before pushing him away. She took off into the direction of the street, holding her clothes as best as she could as the tears mixed with the rain on her face. The man got up to follow her, but Haruka pushed the dumpster and pinned him between it and the wall. She quickly took off after Michiru.

-----

Haruka sat down on the chair in front of the bed and held her head in her hands. For the past hour she listened to Michiru crying hysterically on their bed. Once she had returned home, she threw her clothes away and immediately took a shower to get rid of that smell, that gross feeling all over her body. Now she was curled up into a ball under the covers crying, and Haruka couldn't do a damn thing about it.

Caleb appeared and stood in front of her. "You did all you could do, Haruka," he began, touching her shoulder.

She shook her head in response. "No…I…I shouldn't have let her get out of my sight. I could have done so much more to help her, but I was so stupid!" She stood up and pushed Caleb's arm away from her. "I can't bear to see her like this…I feel like I almost helped to destroy her."

Caleb saw the guilt and anguish in her eyes, but there was nothing more that could be done. It happened, and now it was all in the past. She simply needed to move on. "You still helped her, Haruka. That's better than nothing."

She scoffed at his comment. "You don't understand, Caleb. You'll never understand. I don't know if I'll ever forgive myself for what happened. I…I wanted to kill those men so bad for what they did to her." She looked over at Michiru who had fallen asleep by now. "She's a strong woman, I know that for sure, but I know that we're both incomplete without the other, and that reality takes a toll on us." She sat down on the bed, wishing she could touch Michiru, but her hand only went through. "I hate to see her like this, because I know that not being able to help her makes it all the more difficult to get through something. We really do need each other, Caleb."

Caleb sighed and sat down on a chair. "I don't know what to tell you, Haruka. This is how it is, and how it's going to be. I know it's going to be difficult for the both of you, but all you can do is your best and hope that's enough to help her get through anything else she faces."

She didn't say anything as she stared at Michiru and the peaceful expression as she slept. It seemed like sleep was the only time she could be calm and forget about everything. It was a time that Haruka intently watched her movements, her small little habits when she slept, and it brought back so many memories of their life together…of what they had. She would give anything to go back to that.

Haruka turned away and frowned. "There was a man earlier…," she began, moving to the foot of the bed.

"What are you talking about?"

"There was a man across the street in a trench coat who was staring at me. He could see me, Caleb. I know he could."

"What did he look like?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "Like an ordinary man…tall and dark brown hair. I couldn't see his eyes because he wore sunglasses, but…"

Caleb groaned and rubbed his temple. "Haruka…that was a fallen angel."

"How can you be so sure?"

"They're the only other people who can see guardian angels. They usually won't try to physically harm you, but they will get you where it hurts the most." He tilted his head towards Michiru.

Haruka glanced at her then back to Caleb. "I…I should have known better, Caleb. I shouldn't have paid so much attention to him."

"They're going to try to get to you, Haruka. Each fallen angel who encounters you will try to destroy you, and I assure you that they will find a way." He stood up and took off his jacket. "Just be extra careful from now on, and if you see anybody else suspicious then watch Michiru more carefully."

She stood up and nodded her head. "Is there any way we can attack them?"

"It depends at what stage they're at. Each fallen angel goes through phases in terms of strength, and if they're stronger than you, then you most likely don't stand a chance."

"I don't understand. Isn't good always supposed to prevail over evil?"

"Well…yes, but it's not as simple as many people think. These fallen angels are tough, and their anger only makes them more vicious and extremely unpredictable."

"But…there is a way to defeat them, right?"

Caleb nodded his head. "Yes, there is always a way. It's just not always easy."

Haruka turned to Michiru again, her hands in her pockets. "As long as there's a way, then I have no doubt that I can beat each and every one." She turned back to Caleb. "I'm not going to let them hurt her," she stated sternly.

"You'll slowly develop your powers as we go along, Haruka…so I'm sure you'll do fine." He patted her back. "Just so you know, you've earned your wings."

Haruka frowned at his statement. She turned to the mirror to notice the huge wings behind her back. She carefully touched them, the sight and feel of them too weird for her.

"Now that you have your wings, Haruka," Caleb began, showing his own to her, "you're going to be able to see other guardian angels around. You can talk to them, but don't interfere with their business." Haruka just nodded her head, still mesmerized by the white wings the seemed to shoot out from her back. "You'll learn to hide them…so don't worry about it," Caleb finished before he disappeared.

After a few minutes of concentrating, Haruka's wings did disappear. She heard rustling behind her and turned to find Michiru sitting on the edge of her bed. Haruka stared at her, noticing the broken look in her eyes and the fear emitting from her body language. She sighed and sat down on the bed next to her.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"I wish you were here, Haruka," Michiru said, rubbing her arms. "I need you so much right now."

The blonde frowned, before apologizing once again. It was the only thing she could think of to do.

* * *

**2 years later**

Things had gone considerably well since the first time Haruka had saved Michiru. She was able to protect Michiru with no real trouble on her part, but each time she still felt guilty…as if she blamed herself for the misfortunes that she experienced in the first place. She figured that if she was still alive, then she could protect Michiru even better because, to her, what she did never seemed like enough. In her mind, there was always a chance, a "what if" and a circumstance that she hadn't thought of beforehand. Caleb tried to reason with Haruka that things were going to be fine, but she ignored his words, still blaming herself for every little thing she couldn't prevent to begin with.

"Haruka, you need to learn to just accept all of this. It's already been two years."

"Accept it?" she began, stepping closer to the shorter man. "Why should I accept this? I shouldn't even be here! I should be with Michiru, and be able to physically touch her, to protect her in a way that I never will be able to now."

"You're doing the best you can-"

"But it's not enough!" she interrupted. "It will never be enough, Caleb. I can't offer her emotional comfort. I can't hold her to me and whisper to her those three words that could change everything. It's not the same, and you know it."

Caleb sighed and crossed his arms. "Haruka…nothing ever goes according to plan, even in this world, but you can't keep thinking about the bad. You need to start thinking optimistically, and consider the reality that you are helping her in a way that nobody else could."

Haruka rubbed her neck, frustrated with his words. "You still don't get it, Caleb. You never will."

"Then tell me."

She stared at him as a desire to punch him grew stronger, but she knew she couldn't. "You wouldn't understand," she answered, before turning and walking away.

* * *

**6 months later**

Haruka's breathing was irregular; she was almost too late. If that had happened, it would have been one of the worst moments in her life that she could never forgive herself for.

Michiru lay on the floor as a young man knelt next to her to make sure that she was okay and responsive to his words. Haruka watched with mixed feelings. She had never been so afraid before, and that feeling was extremely painful. It would have been completely unforgivable if Michiru was injured in any way, but gladly she had made it just in time. How she had been so clumsy was still something she felt guilty for, but at the same time a surprise. After the first time she protected Michiru, she had never once felt unsure of being able to protect her from then on, but now there was uneasiness in her. It was as if things were going to change somehow for the worst.

She stood straight, a hand in her pocket and ran the other through her hair, releasing a relieved sigh. The man tending to Michiru suddenly stood up and ran to the car the light post had fallen on. She stayed where she was, staring down at the visibly frightened younger girl and frowned. It hurt to see her in this kind of pain, to see that fear in her eyes and not be able to console her.

Haruka was suddenly pushed from behind, an action that threw her off balance due to the surprise of it. She quickly regained her balance and turned to find a young man in a white suit just like hers. She glanced behind him to notice the wings folded behind his back. He was a guardian angel, as well.

"Why did you do that?" he yelled, both his hands turning into fists. "Why did you make that pole fall on to that car?"

Haruka didn't say anything, too confused and surprised by the confrontation, by the anger that overpowered his words and penetrated her ears.

"You better answer me," he demanded. Haruka looked away, thinking of how to respond to his questions. She noticed his suit slightly flickering between the colors of white and black, but she didn't know what to think of it. She stared back at him, and noticed the same thing with his eyes and wings. The man quickly closed the small gap between them and grabbed the collar of her suit. "Either you answer me, or I'm going to take matters into my own hands."

Haruka tried to move away, suddenly angry at his rash behavior, but his grip only tightened. She grabbed his hands and pulled them off her. "You need to relax," she said, trying to keep her composure the same.

"I will not relax! It's your fault that pole fell onto her car, your fault that she's severely hurt. The only thing left for me to do here is to punish you for your reckless and idiotic decision."

Haruka took a step back from him before looking toward the car that had been smashed. The young man who helped Michiru proceeded to slowly pull out an unconscious woman from the car.

She turned back to the man. "You're her guardian angel, aren't you?"

He nodded his head. "You just made one of the worst decisions in your life."

"I protected who I was supposed to. How was I to know that anybody was in that car, let alone the person you're protecting?"

"You didn't, but you should have thought your actions through a bit more clearly before being so rash!"

She towered over the man, visibly angry now by his accusations and clear hatred in his voice. She didn't do anything wrong, as she was only trying to protect Michiru from harm. "I had no intention of hurting that woman, so you can't blame me for a simple mistake that-"

"A simple mistake?" he scoffed. "You knew exactly what you were doing, as stupid as it all was, and now you're going to pay for your actions."

Before Haruka could react in any way, the man pressed his palm against her chest and released an enormous amount of energy into her body, causing the blonde to be thrown back a few good yards. She skidded on her back on the street to a stop grimacing at the pain she felt coursing through her body. The man was at her side in an instant, and then he kicked her in the face. She could taste the blood in her mouth, but the pain from the electric shock he had delivered before overpowered that one. It seemed to vibrate throughout her body, preventing her movements from being quick in order to protect herself; she was extremely vulnerable. The man grabbed her suit collar with both hands and forced her to stand. Haruka felt weak, helpless to defend herself. She slowly brought up her arms and grabbed his hands with the little strength that she could muster.

"You have no idea what you've done," he exclaimed before punching Haruka, and another shockwave went through her face and into her body. The man turned to where Michiru still sat on the ground, and smirked. "I want you to feel the same pain."

He threw Haruka towards the wall Michiru was sitting against. She hit the wall with a force that no human could create, and fell to the ground a few feet away from Michiru. She heard the wall starting to crumble as small pieces fell over them both. She looked up at Michiru, silently begging her to move, to get up and run from the debris falling, but she was frozen. Her body was too scared, still too scarred from what had happened earlier. Haruka cursed herself, both at the situation and that she was completely helpless with something that required her assistance. She slowly reached out her hand to Michiru, wishing she could do something, anything, but she was in too much pain, too weak.

Haruka glanced at Michiru's face, and the fear was too much for her to bear. She tried to get up as quickly as possible, but the pain slowed her movements. "Michiru…," she whispered, and closed her eyes in shame.

She suddenly heard quick footsteps and rustling. She opened her eyes in time to see the man from earlier carry Michiru away from the falling debris and safely put her on the ground some feet away. It was unexpected, but Haruka was thankful. She painfully rolled out of the way before any of the debris could fall on her and cause more injury to her already aching body.

"Don't think I'm done with you yet," she heard. She turned to the other guardian angel. He was walking towards her, but his suit was now completely black, and his wings were a dark gray. His fists were encompassed by a dark red energy, and Haruka clearly knew what his intentions were.

The blonde grunted as she rolled on to her stomach and used her arms to slowly pick herself up. She stood as straight as possible, clutching her chest to ease the pain that still resided there.

She was angry now. She was completely and utterly furious at the man walking towards her. He had put Michiru in danger, and she knew that he must hate her for what she accidentally caused, but it gave him no right to take it out on Michiru. Her right hand became a fist, and a light blue electrical energy surrounded it. She could only imagine the consequences that she could face for doing this to another person, for purposely hurting another out of anger instead of good reason. But, it was worth it. She wanted to see him writhe in pain from the blows she was going to deliver—nothing would be more satisfying to her at the moment.

Before anything could happen, Caleb appeared with four men. They looked like the ones she had seen a few years back when Haruka almost intentionally hurt Caleb. Two of the men quickly grabbed the angel and held him back. He struggled, pushing away the men and trying to use his powers. One of the men clasped a red bracelet around his wrist, preventing him from using any sort of powers against them.

Caleb stood in front of him. "Daniel…do you realize what you just did?"

Daniel fell to his knees crying, shaking his head in obvious frustration and anger. "I did what I had to, Caleb. It was her fault, and so I only gave her what she deserved."

Caleb sighed and rubbed his head. "You do understand what this means, don't you?"

The man looked up at Haruka. "It was worth it," he answered, before turning away.

Caleb nodded to the men, and they grabbed Daniel to take him away. "Before you go, Daniel, do you want to know what happens to her?" He kept quiet. "She would have been fine…"

Daniel and the other men disappeared. Caleb turned and walked toward Haruka. "Are you okay?"

She nodded her head. "I'm fine, and Michiru is safe, too." He nodded his head. "What's going to happen to him?"

Caleb crossed his arms. "He's going to become a fallen angel…just like the rest of them. It's sad, really…what anger can sometimes do to people."

Haruka just slowly nodded her head. "I guess it happens even to the best of us."

"Just so you know, Haruka…there's a third rule. The only time any sort of violence is allowed is for self-defense. Any sort of malicious or hateful thoughts toward another person, and to inevitably act upon these thoughts, will result in the stripping of your wings, and you'll become a fallen angel."

Haruka turned to where Michiru sat, the man who helped her from earlier still talking with her. "I can assure you, Caleb," she turned back to him, "that will never happen to me."

* * *

**1 ½ years later**

For the next year and a half, Haruka witnessed so many guardian angels lose their wings and become fallen angels. It was unusually common, but she wasn't surprised in any sort of way. She could only imagine what these people went through when they experienced with their own eyes their loved one getting hurt. She couldn't fathom the thoughts that went through their head, the panic and fear, and the inevitable pain. What was worse was that they couldn't do anything about what happened to the person they protected; it was out of their hands.

Haruka could only watch when an angel angrily confronted another, and a huge fight broke out that couldn't be stopped until the Corp. arrived. The Corp. was like the police, and Haruka knew what they were capable of since they were stronger and more knowledgeable than any angel could ever hope to be.

She became even more careful with protecting Michiru, making sure that her actions didn't cause another person to be injured. It was troublesome at first, but she learned to respect the fact that every other angel was in the same situation as her. She only hoped what was happening to others wouldn't end up being her fate because she would do anything to protect Michiru…anything.

-----

Haruka followed behind Michiru at a distance, knowing that this was a better way to be aware of a broader area of her surroundings.

Caleb suddenly appeared, and began walking next to her with his hands behind his back. "It seems that everything is going well, Haruka," he said with a smile.

She nodded her head. "I just wish she would take a car or something. She's more vulnerable out in the open."

"Well, you know she won't because…"

"Yeah…even after all this time she's still broken up about it. I don't blame her, but I just want her to be happy."

"Would you be happy without her, Haruka?"

She groaned and shook her head. "Don't even start, Caleb."

He shrugged his shoulders. "I'm just saying."

Caleb suddenly stopped, and Haruka stopped a few feet in front of him. "What's wrong?" She glanced at Michiru before turning her attention back to him. "Caleb…what's the matter?"

"That man…," he whispered.

She turned her attention across the street and noticed a man standing there, staring right at them…just like the one from years before. He grinned, before taking off the trench coat he wore. Black wings opened up to there full length behind his back, and he began walking in their direction.

"Haruka, I need you to go to Michiru. You need to make sure nothing happens to her." She didn't move. He turned to her. "Haruka!! Hurry up and go!"

She nodded her head and took off in a sprint toward the direction she was walking earlier. Before she could reach Michiru, an invisible force pushed her against a brick wall. She sunk into the wall, the impact hurting her right side. She pushed herself away and slumped to the ground, breathing hard and holding her right arm. Blood seeped down the right side of her face, and she quickly wiped it away.

She turned to her left and saw a fallen angel standing there, a stupid grin on his face. His black wings cascaded over both of them, creating a dark shadow and preventing her from seeing his whole face.

Haruka glanced up and noticed other fallen angels attacking guardian angels, trying to purposely hurt the person each was protecting. Walls were breaking and large amounts of debris crashing down, light posts were falling to the ground, and cars were being thrown and smashed. She could see and hear the panic of all the people, but her attention focused on Michiru. She was helping another injured person, and Haruka could only hope that she would stay safe.

"Haruka!!" she turned around and saw Caleb. "You need to get to Michiru…right now!!"

The fallen angel grabbed her jacket and pushed her against the wall. "I'm not going to let you go this time," he hissed.

She grabbed his arms and burned them. The man pulled away, and Haruka took this opportunity to send an electric shock through his body. He flew back and into a car. She went to him, grabbed his body and threw him down into the street, the impact creating a crater on the concrete.

Haruka stood over him, still holding her arm. She quickly looked over to where Michiru was, and noticed she was still safe. When the dust settled, she got a good look at his face.

She frowned. "Daniel…"

Daniel rolled over onto his side and slowly got up from off the ground. "Haruka…you didn't expect that I would leave you alone, did you?"

She took a step back. "Do you really hate me that much still, even though the woman you protected is safe?"

He laughed. "Safe? She died a few months ago, and I wasn't there to prevent that from happening. It's because of you…it's your fault."

His eyes were dark, and his tone malicious. Haruka felt a bit sympathetic for him because of what became of him. It was a horrible transition for any person to go from being a guardian angel to a fallen one.

Daniel ripped off his torn shirt and turned to his side. "Do you see these scars along my back?" The red marks were easily noticeable, appearing around his newly formed black wings. They were deep wounds that seemed to have barely begun to heal, and looked to be extremely painful. "They tore off my wings, Haruka!!"

She shook her head and turned away. "You should have known better."

Daniel laughed again. The sound was almost too much for her. "We'll see who should have known better."

He made a move to grab her, but she stepped out of the way before punching him in the face. "You don't need to be like this. You don't need to do this," she said, taking another step back from him.

He didn't say anything, before disappearing. Haruka looked around, but then she was grabbed from behind and an arm around her neck. "You're going to suffer just like I did," he whispered, stabbing her with a dagger in the back. She yelled out in pain, and tried to move away but his hold was too strong. It was extremely frustrating for Haruka, since she was always stronger than any fallen angel she ever encountered, but for some reason, her strength was slowly leaving her. She was feeling weaker by the second, and she hated that. It wasn't that she cared about her own safety, but she needed to get to Michiru's side before something horrible happened.

She grabbed his arm and held on tightly, her hand burning through his skin and making its way through to his muscle and cartilage. He grunted in pain, but kept his hold around her neck, digging the dagger deeper into her side.

"I want you to feel pain, Haruka. I want you to suffer more than I am now," he said, looking over to where Michiru was hiding. "She's going to pay for your stupidity," he finished before disappearing again.

Haruka fell to her knees, reaching around her back to feel the knife in her side. She took a quick breath then swiftly pulled it out. The pain was immense as she felt the blood flow down her back and saw the blood seeping through her clothes. She took off her jacket and threw it to the side, allowing her wings to fully open. Daniel appeared in front of her, holding something in his hand. His black wings swayed slowly behind him, an evil smirk on his face.

"Sometimes it pays to be a fallen angel because of the better powers we have than ya'll," he said, tossing up the round object and catching it.

"You can think whatever you want, Daniel," she began, slowly standing up and applying pressure to her back, "but there's always a way for us to defeat you, in the end."

He shrugged his shoulders. "That might be true, but the huge difference is that we don't have anything to lose…but you do." He pulled something out of the round object before throwing it towards the area Michiru was hiding, still helping injured people.

Haruka quickly realized he had just thrown a grenade, and quickly sprinted to where it landed as it slowly rolled even closer to her love. Daniel laughed before appearing right next to her. Another dagger appeared in his hand, but she sidestepped fast enough to avoid it. She grabbed his arm and pulled him closer, before slamming her fist into his chest—an impact that caused him to fly back into the brick wall. It was an action she knew wasn't as effective as if she would have been at her full strength, but it was good enough to slow him down for a few moments.

Before she could reach the grenade, she was thrown off to the side by the same strong force from earlier. She landed on the ground, but got back up as fast as possible. She ran towards the grenade again, intent on throwing it somewhere away from all these people…away from Michiru.

Daniel appeared in front of her and it was too sudden for her to react quickly enough. He grabbed her shirt and slammed her down into the ground, the impact putting pressure on the wound on her side. He put two fingers over her heart and recited something in Latin, before grinning and getting back up. Haruka felt weaker; it was as if her body couldn't even register what her mind wanted it to do.

"I put a spell on you, Haruka," Daniel began, crossing his arms over his chest, his wings folding behind his back. "I won't let you save her," he finished, before disappearing.

Haruka slowly rolled on to her side, each fraction of movement sending pain throughout her whole body. Her side ached, and her body felt sore, completely useless. People were still running everywhere, helpless and confused as to the chaos that still ensued between the guardians and the fallen. She saw Michiru tending to a young woman, not even noticing the grenade a few feet away from her. Haruka knew she wouldn't be able to do anything. Her powers were gone, and her will wasn't enough to save Michiru.

She wouldn't be able to save Michiru this time. It hurt her…it completely destroyed her.

She heard feet running toward her from behind until they passed right by her head. The person kicked the grenade away from where Michiru and a few injured people resided, before covering the woman's body with his own. The grenade exploded, the impact causing everything in close vicinity to shatter and fly everywhere.

Haruka noticed a piece of metal inject itself into the persons back, but he didn't move away from Michiru. He wrapped his body around her even more, ignoring the pain the blonde knew he must have felt for sure. When the dust cleared, the person protecting Michiru slowly fell to his side and remained motionless. Haruka heard the sirens off in the distance, indicating that help was on its way.

Caleb stopped at Haruka's side. "Are you okay?"

"I…I can't really move. He put some sort of spell on me," she mumbled, still upset about the entire situation.

He frowned. "Just stay still for me," he said, placing his hand over her heart.

She slightly chuckled. "That's not too hard."

"Now," he began, grabbing her arm with his other hand, "this is going to hurt."

Right after he said that, a pain shot through Haruka's body that she didn't even knew existed. It got stronger, starting at her feet and making its way up through her body. She clenched her teeth, grunting in pain and hating every second of it. Her breathing became labored and shallow, and she felt extremely dizzy and weaker.

She turned her eyes to Caleb. "What…what're you doing?" Her voice was weak and low.

"I'm almost done," he responded, squeezing her arm.

A few more moments passed, and then the pain was gone. Haruka took in a breath as she tried to calm down and relax her body. She moved her fingers and enjoyed the absence of pain that had been there before. She slowly sat up with Caleb's help.

"What did he do to me?"

He sighed. "I honestly don't know the specifics of what he did to you, but it's a newer spell. The only reason I knew what to do was because of the color of your eyes…they were a dark reddish-black, and there's only one older spell that's able to do that."

"Yeah, you still didn't answer me, Caleb," she groaned, moving her arms and legs before completely standing up.

"It was a newer version of an older spell that causes guardian angels to turn evil, basically. It paralyzes your body and causes a great amount of pain, preventing you from protecting your loved one. This, in turn, makes you feel useless and regretful…which eventually leads to a psychological downfall. It sounds complicated, but is one of the easiest spells, really."

Haruka listened and nodded her head. "Sounds pretty smart to me." She walked over to where Michiru knelt next to the man as she applied pressure to his back. The blonde stopped when she got a better view of the persons face.

"Yuka…"

* * *

**Well, there's that chapter. Comments and criticism are welcome...anything helps me, really. :) Hopefully, though, it was good. Review if you'd like. Take care!**

**-Nightfall5029  
**


	6. Echo

**This chapter is waaay overdue. The only thing I hate about writing is that I have to be in the mood for it, and I guess I just haven't for the past few years. But I have returned, and I finally finished this chapter. I'm actually not too satisfied with it, so if you don't like it either, then I will understand. I really want to try to finish this story within the year, and I finally summarized the next chapters, so I'm hoping to be consistent in uploading chapters. Anyway, if you are reading this, thank you very much. I appreciate any comments/criticism, just don't get too crazy, please. I'm not that great of a writer, but I do try. I still hope y'all enjoy this chapter. Take care! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything, except for the plot.  
**

* * *

**The Only Promise You Ever Made**

**Chapter 6-Echo**

"I don't know what happened!" Haruka said, pacing around the hospital room. "One minute it's all okay, and then that fallen angel appears out of nowhere." She ran a hand through her hair. "Daniel is going to keep coming after me, isn't he?"

Caleb turned to her and nodded his head. "Unless one of you dies, then yes. He's going to keep attacking you for what you did to him."

Haruka leaned against the wall. "He almost got to me, Caleb. He knows my weakness is Michiru."

What happened earlier was devastating to her. The concept of anything happening to Michiru was beyond comprehendible, and if something did happen then she didn't know what to do. The spell would have really worked. She would have been destroyed in mind and spirit and become just like Daniel with pure evil controlling her life.

"You need to watch out for her more carefully now. That's all you can really do, Haruka."

She sighed. "There has to be a simple way to get rid of fallen angels…some sort of power we can obtain or trick we can use."

Caleb stood against an opposite wall, skimming through a folder of papers. He glanced up at Haruka momentarily before looking back at the papers. "There's no reason to get all worked up, Haruka. Michiru is fine and that's all that matters."

The blonde sat down on a chair, replaying the prior events in her mind, trying to figure out what went wrong. She felt angry about the entire situation, almost useless. Michiru had been saved by another person…by her. It was the worst possible scenario and outcome. She felt like a failure, and that she could have done so much better.

"I still don't understand what happened, Caleb. Shouldn't you have known if something like that was going to happen?"

Caleb didn't respond for a while, as he tried to think of any plausible reasons to explain everything. He sighed as the folder disintegrated. "I'm not sure, Haruka. It doesn't make any sense."

"What are you talking about?"

"I haven't been able to find anything about that attack happening, and nothing on Yuka's life. It's like she doesn't even exist or something."

"It that even possible? Has that ever happened before?"

Caleb shook his head. "I've never encountered anything like this before, but I'll get my men working on finding out everything there is to know about Yuka. I promise you that, Haruka."

She waved away his words. "Don't be making me any promises, Caleb. I know all too well the disappointment that can follow."

Caleb didn't respond. He sighed and rubbed his eyes. "I've never experienced an attack from the fallen angels like that before. Usually, it's only one or a few who attack certain angels, but they have reasons. This…this was like a message to us or something."

Haruka stared at him, trying to understand what he was saying. "Are you saying there is a possibility that this could happen again?"

"Anything could happen, Haruka. Fallen angels don't seem like they would be organized, but they plan everything they do. Every single attack has a reason behind it, whether it is to benefit an individual or the entire group of them." Another folder appeared in his hand and he scanned through it. "Usually, though, we are able to find out about the attacks that involve large groups, and sometimes the individual ones, but this one never came up, and I know it was planned for sure."

"Well, how do you know they just didn't want to try to attack us because they hate us?"

"It wouldn't explain why Daniel was there, Haruka. He could have easily attacked you this entire time he's been a fallen angel, but he chose today. There has to be a reason behind it all."

The door to the room opened, interrupting their conversation, as a few nurses strolled in a patient. Haruka and Caleb watched as they carefully transferred a woman to the hospital bed before leaving the room.

Haruka walked closer to the bed where the woman lay, observing her with indifference. She glanced back at Caleb. "You know, when I first met her, I got this weird feeling." She backed away from the bed and leaned against the wall Caleb was near. "It's like there's something evil to her."

When Haruka met Yuka at the track the day of her accident, she became suspicious about the woman. It seemed like she had a lot of secrets, and an ulterior motive to being at the race that day. There definitely was something unnerving about her presence.

"You know, maybe you could look into my race again, Caleb. Yuka was there, and maybe you can see what she does after all of that happened."

Caleb nodded. "I'll definitely do that, and let you know what I find."

The door opened again and Michiru walked in. Haruka frowned at the small cuts on her arms and face, causing the guilt to creep back into her heart, and forcing her to take a step toward her. It was an instinctive move as she reached out for the woman, ready to comfort her, and before she could stop herself her arm went through Michiru's waist.

Haruka pulled her hand back, staring down at it for a few seconds before putting her hands in her pockets. It was all she could think of to do so she didn't try to reach for Michiru again.

Caleb went and stood next to Haruka. "I need to go." The blonde didn't respond, but gave him a look, and he knew her mask was back on. The walls were getting stronger around her emotions, and he knew it was the only defense she had so she didn't lose herself. He didn't understand it, he didn't understand her. She had always been an enigma to him…her emotions changing and disappearing as quickly as they were shown, or sometimes he couldn't even figure out what she was thinking. Even after the time he has spent with her, it was like she was a stranger to him.

"I'll see you tomorrow, and I'll let you know if I find anything about Yuka," he finished, waiting for a response. She gave no words, simply nodding her head and turning her attention back to Michiru who was sitting next to the hospital bed.

Caleb noticed the fist in her pocket, a reaction that gave away her emotions when her face didn't. Even then, it still didn't tell him much. He always had a difficult time figuring out her next move, and it scared him. He glanced at her face one more time, but he couldn't tell if he saw anger or a sort of emptiness. He didn't want her to do anything foolish.

He touched her arm. "Relax, Haruka." She looked to the ground. "Try not to be impulsive, and be careful," he finished, and then disappeared.

Michiru leaned closer to the bed, grabbing Yuka's hand to slowly stroke it with her thumb. She was extremely grateful for what the woman had done, but the consequence of her action caused Michiru to feel guilty. She didn't understand what happened earlier, with the chaos and explosion, but she knew that if it wasn't for Yuka, then she might not even be alive. She reached up to stroke Yuka's cheek, noticing just how much she resembled Haruka.

Her hand went to the woman's lips, slightly touching them before running down her jaw and to her neck. She pulled her hand away and closed her eyes, upset at herself for trying to compare anybody to Haruka.

Michiru opened her eyes when she heard a groan and turned to see Yuka's eyes open slowly. Yuka flexed a hand, coughing and carefully moving her arms and legs. She turned to see Michiru sitting next to her with a concerned expression.

"I'm glad to see you're well, Michiru," she whispered, a small smile forming.

Haruka stood straight when she heard Yuka use Michiru's name. She, for sure, thought that these two women were strangers, and that Yuka saving her was simply coincidence. But she noticed the look of recognition, as well as the ease and tenderness with which Yuka said the other woman's name. She could only stand there confused, and even hurt. Not once had Michiru ever mentioned this woman in all the years they were together.

"I'm fine…thanks to you, of course. I don't know how to repay you-"

"Don't worry about it. It's no big deal anyway." She paused, coughing a little. She inhaled deeply before continuing. "I promised you that I would always protect you, and you know better than I do that I keep those promises."

Michiru frowned, remembering the interaction they had years before that consisted of the promise Yuka was referring to. She had forgotten so much of their life together, but apparently Yuka hadn't, and Michiru could see the familiar emotions playing across her features. It was just like before when they used to be in love.

Yuka opened her hand, and Michiru held it with her own. "I've missed you so much."

Haruka continued to watch the interaction between them, the words clearly expressing lost and forgotten emotions that they seemed to once share. Yuka's eyes clearly revealed how she longed and cared, and Haruka hated that. Michiru seemed to be a little uncomfortable, and that gave the blonde some reassurance that she wouldn't consider reigniting the relationship they apparently once had. It still troubled Haruka greatly though that Michiru never once mentioned that she had a relationship prior to their own, and from what Haruka could tell, it had been a serious one.

Haruka walked outside the room, not wanting to witness the scene any longer. It hurt her to know that Michiru lied to her about something that was obviously important to her, and a part of her life. She felt she knew everything there was to know…there were no secrets in their relationships. There were supposed to be no barriers and it was why their relationship did so well. It was why they were so in love because everything was out in the open, and nothing was hidden. But this…this was a secret that stayed one for so long. It was something that Michiru wanted to purposely hide, and that worried Haruka. She hoped that Caleb would find something about Yuka.

She leaned against the wall, able to still hear them talking but their words were inaudible. She could tell Michiru did not feel any sort of attraction to Yuka, given how she looked uncomfortable, but Haruka was still afraid. There was a chance that Michiru could get caught up in the loneliness and want to initiate something again with the other blonde.

The thought of Michiru loving and being with another woman destroyed Haruka. She leaned against the outside wall, sliding down to the floor.

* * *

"I would like it if you stayed with me for a while, Yuka. It would make me feel better if I at least helped you recuperate."

Yuka sat on the bed, placing a long sleeve shirt over her shoulders. "I wouldn't want to intrude, Michiru. I'm also pretty sure I can take care of myself, considering I have ever since we broke up." The last part came out harsher than she intended, but even after so many years it still hurt, especially since Michiru moved on so quickly.

"Why do you keep bringing up the past?"

Yuka finished buttoning her shirt and ran a hand through her hair. The action caught Michiru's attention, automatically bringing an image of Haruka to her mind. Every little thing about Yuka reminded her so much of her lover: the hair, the striking eyes (even if they were of a blue color), the tall, toned body and the husky voice. It was just like Haruka with a different name, and Michiru couldn't help but be attracted to Yuka because of the apparent similarities.

"I'm sorry…I just never moved on after what happened. I mean…," she paused, rubbing her eyes before looking back at Michiru, "…I'm still in love with you."

She frowned. "I can tell you're not lying, but your love is misplaced considering I don't love you anymore."

"How can you say that? After everything we've been through you can say those words so easily?"

"Yuka, it was such a long time ago. I moved on with my life, and I don't understand why you never did."

Yuka slid off the side of the bed, a hand on the edge to try to keep steady. She stood straighter, trying to maintain her balance, but she was still weak from all the medicine. Michiru noticed her slightly stumble and instinctively rushed to her side to offer support. Yuka expected the action, wrapping her arms around the shorter woman.

She whispered into the other woman's ear. "I never moved on after you left, Michiru. I loved you then and I love you now. It's not going to change."

"Neither am I, Yuka."

* * *

**5 Months Later**

Things did change.

Yuka was recovering from her injuries, but her stay with Michiru seemed to have an effect on their relationship the more she stayed. Michiru didn't have any feelings toward the blonde, and so she didn't worry about any type of romance that could develop in the future. She was still in love with Haruka, but the more she noticed Yuka's habits, personality and appearance was so similar to Haruka's, the more she began to imagine what it would be like to be together. It crossed her mind at times, but she didn't act upon her curiosity because she fully knew that it wouldn't be the same. Yuka was a completely different person, but there were still things she enjoyed about her. She was slowly being reminded about the love they had for each other before she ever met Haruka.

It had been so long since Michiru had been in close contact with another person. She didn't mind at first, but she was beginning to miss the closeness of another body, the warmth that could be offered to her through another person. She missed being held, touched and kissed. With Yuka there, the memories came flooding back and she sometimes wished it would happen again, even if it wasn't Haruka. She just hated being so lonely sometimes.

Michiru stood in her living room, holding the violin under her chin for the first time since Haruka's death. It felt unnatural and her heart did not invite the unwanted feeling as she gripped the bow in her other hand, resisting the need to just drop the instrument and completely forget about it. Ever since Haruka's death, she never even so much as looked at a violin. She didn't think about it in any way, nor did she listen to any pieces played by a piano. The memories were still too fresh then, but even now she could perfectly envision Haruka sitting at a grand piano next to her with a gorgeous grin on her face, eyeing Michiru with such lust that would always lead to the violinist teasing her rather than chastising her.

She shut her eyes, trying to rid herself of the memories. It wasn't that she hated thinking about them, but the emptiness that always accompanied each feeling was extremely unwanted and painful. After all the years that passed, she still wasn't able to deal with the hurt. She licked her lips and brought the bow to the violin, knowing that her body and mind didn't forget how to play, but her heart was making it really difficult to actually move. The duets that Haruka and she had written were flowing through her mind, but it wasn't anything that she wanted to play.

Finally realizing that she couldn't fight it, she let the bow glide across the strings, but Michiru could only cringe at the awful sound that her talent hadn't allowed her to emit for a really long time. She took a deep breath, relaxing her muscles and trying to keep her mind free of anything. Again, the sound was horrible and she let her arms fall to her side in frustration. She knew how to play, but her heart didn't want her to. She subconsciously didn't want to hear the wonderful music again when she was still in such a sad state. It had to be the only explanation.

Haruka stood against the wall with her arms crossed as she watched the defeated form of Michiru. She knew what was going on, and the turmoil her emotions were going through. It was so clear for her to see through the troubled eyes and tired body. Playing the violin again just seemed too much to handle for her lover, and it upset Haruka so much because she knew how desperately she wanted to play again. Music was her escape, and since she couldn't even play a single note, then she was left to dwell in her misery.

Haruka could also see what else had been going on the past few weeks. She knew Michiru was starting to like Yuka, and the fact that the latter only resembled herself seemed to strengthen the possibility of them being together. She witnessed their interactions, the flirting and the touching, the smiles and quick instances of happiness in their eyes. It wasn't like that in the beginning, but Michiru was slowly beginning to rely on the other woman for a feeling that Haruka knew she so dearly missed.

She rubbed her eyes and kicked the wall behind her. It wasn't supposed to be like this, but who was she kidding? She knew Michiru would get lonely and want the comfort and love of another person. She knew there was a possibility that she would fall in love with another woman because of this loneliness, but she didn't want to believe it. It wasn't that she didn't want her to be happy, that was far from it, but she just didn't know if she could deal with it. It would kill her to see Michiru with another woman—loving another woman—but she knew it was something she would need to deal with eventually. She just didn't know if she was prepared to handle it all just yet.

Haruka looked up when she heard footsteps enter the room. Yuka stopped and stood behind Michiru. "Are you okay, Michiru?"

Michiru didn't say anything, but walked to a bench and placed her violin in its case. She closed and locked it before turning to face Yuka. "I'm fine. I was just trying to play something, but it seems that I can't."

Yuka frowned at the underlying sadness in her face. She hated seeing her like this. Without asking, she closed the distance between them, slightly looking down at the beautiful woman.

"Be honest with me, Michiru. It hurts me to see you like this."

"What are you talking about? I'm fine. Now just leave it alone, Yuka."

Michiru started to walk past Yuka, but she grabbed her arm. "Don't bottle your emotions up like this, Michiru. This isn't you, and I just want to help. Please, let me in."

Michiru pulled her arm free. "Help me with what? Do you think you can just come into my life so suddenly and know how to solve my problems? It's been years since we have seen each other, and now you want to be best friends or what? That's not how it happens, Yuka."

Yuka sighed. She controlled her urge to respond with the same ferocity as Michiru. "I just want to help you, Michiru. You have been alone for so long, but I'm here. I'm standing right here, and I'm not backing down or going anywhere. I'm not trying to replace anybody and be the most important person in your life. But you are still the most important person to me, and I'm here for you, Michiru. Please, just talk to me."

Michiru didn't want to say anything. She was afraid that if she started opening herself up to Yuka, then things would start changing and their relationship would progress to a level that she was still scared to experience. She felt like it would betray the relationship that she had with Haruka. She wasn't sure if her inherent need for another person in her life outweighed her fear of loving another woman who wasn't Haruka.

"Haruka…," she whispered.

Haruka was standing right next to her. She knew the emotions that ran through her mind; it was so clear the troubles that she was experiencing in her life. But there was nothing that she could do. She glanced down at the golden bracelet that had been resting on her wrist for years. Maybe she was stupid and naïve for agreeing to this, but at the time, she truly believed that it was for the best. Now, she wasn't so sure. If she was able to appear in Michiru's dreams, maybe things could be different and Michiru wouldn't need to seek comfort in another woman. She wouldn't need anybody else.

She scoffed at herself. She knew she was being selfish and stupid, but she couldn't help it. She still loved Michiru, and she was afraid of the pain she would endure if the other woman did act on a feeling that would mean her heart belonged to another. Haruka rubbed her face, frustrated and lost. She never expected this type of situation to take such a drastic toll on her emotions.

"This isn't about you, Haruka," she heard.

Haruka turned around to see Caleb leaning against the wall that she had been moments before. "What are you doing here, Caleb?"

"I know what you're thinking. I also know what you want to do deep down, and I'm here to tell you that it wouldn't be wise."

Haruka glanced at Yuka, who was advancing towards Michiru's tired body. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"I'm not stupid, Haruka. I see the way you look at both of them. I see that hatred in your eyes when you see their loving interactions." He kicked off the wall and walked closer to the blonde. "It would be in your best interest if you just let things fall into place."

"I…," she paused when Yuka wrapped her arms around Michiru. Her hands instinctively formed into fists, and she took a step away from the two. "…I don't want her to hurt Michiru."

"Does it look like she's doing that? Has she ever given any false pretenses to Michiru or even hurt her? They have been taking care of each other, and you have to let what's going to happen, happen. There is nothing that you can do about it!"

Yuka's lips found their way to Michiru's soft neck, as she slowly kissed her, wrapping her arms tighter with each one. "She doesn't deserve her, Caleb. I mean, for all we know, there's something mad to her and she is just putting up this front! Like you found earlier, she wasn't even supposed to be there when I fought Daniel. How do we know she's not up to something?"

Caleb sighed. "You're right, and we don't know. But that doesn't mean you have the right to hurt her in any way. If it wasn't for her, Michiru wouldn't be safe, and now she has the possibility of being happy, but you don't want that? You're just being selfish, Haruka."

Haruka heard the words that Yuka was whispering to Michiru, and she became angrier. But everything Caleb was telling her was true. As much as Haruka wouldn't be able to stand her loving another woman, Michiru did deserve to be happy. Also, if it wasn't for Yuka, then Michiru could have been severely hurt, even dead.

But…she couldn't help it. She still loved Michiru with an intensity that never faded for a second. She looked back to the two women.

"You're so beautiful, Michiru," Yuka whispered.

A blue flame formed around Haruka's right hand, hints of black flickering off. Caleb frowned when he noticed the black. Green flames formed around both of his hands, as he took a step closer to Haruka, who was intently watching Yuka.

"Haruka…," Caleb began, as men from The Corp. began appearing beside him. He held out his arm to signal them to wait. "…you don't want to do this. Do you realize what would happen to you?!"

The flame around Haruka's hand grew, and more black embers started appearing. Her heart and mind were battling each other; she was a complete mess at the moment. She so desperately and selfishly wanted to get rid of Yuka, but she also knew that it was not the right thing to do. She would be ripped of her wings and become a fallen angel. Then what? She would spend her eternity hating other guardian angels and trying to ruin their chances of protecting a loved one…that wasn't who she was. She was extremely stubborn, but she was not going to ruin anybody else's life.

Caleb slowly walked toward Haruka. "You know that you can't do anything about this. It is what it is. That's all that's to it."

The black embers from the blue flame surrounding her fist started to disappear, as it became a brighter blue, a purer flame. The men from The Corp. left, and the green flames around Caleb's hands were gone.

"This isn't the way things are supposed to be." The flame completely disappeared now, as she walked to the wall of the room and leaned against it.

Caleb sighed, turning away from the two women who were leaving the room and heading toward the bedroom. He stood in front of Haruka with his arms crossed. "Haruka…I…you can't do this to yourself. You just can't. If something does happen, then I won't be able to stop The Corp. from stripping you of your wings."

"I promise I won't do anything, Caleb. But that doesn't mean I'm going to leave this alone." She rubbed her eyes. "There's something wrong with that woman, and I'm going to find out what it is."

Caleb simply nodded his head before disappearing from the room. Haruka turned around, her forehead resting on the cold wall. The heat from her body was gone. It was so cold all of a sudden, and she felt weak. She didn't feel like the strong person she had always been. She was slowly falling apart, her heart tearing up and her mind going crazy.

She saw the women leave from the corner of her eye, and she knew what they were going to do. It destroyed her to imagine that another woman was going to have Michiru for herself. The tears fell, slowly at first, as she tried to grasp the entire situation. The gleam of the bracelet caught her eye, and she grabbed it with her hand, trying to pull it off.

"Why did I ever agree to this?!" she exclaimed, pulling the bracelet and hitting it against the wall. She heard familiar sounds of pleasure, and she became desperate, trying to pull the bracelet off with more determination. She received a small shock, but didn't relent.

Out of frustration and hurt, her tears fell more prominently, and it was like a wave of sadness just overtook her body. She received a much stronger shock from the bracelet, probably from her persistence in trying to break it. The moans became louder, and she covered her ears, screaming out in pain as the tears ran down her cheeks. She cried, hitting the wall in front her as the sounds couldn't be drowned out of her head.

She disappeared.

* * *

**1 Week Later**

"You're still here, Haruka?" Caleb asked, standing in front of her.

Haruka sat on the chair, leaning back with her eyes closed and hands gripping the arm rest. As much as she wished it would go away, the images and sounds of what happened a week earlier were still fresh in her mind. It echoed throughout her heart causing a pain that made resided within her, slowly devouring her. She still couldn't believe what happened. Michiru had given herself to another woman, and that fact was something she would never be able to fathom.

When Haruka was alive, any time with Michiru was priceless. She would run her hands over her body, the soft skin emitting such warmth that never seemed to fade. The kisses always felt different, and it was like each one was new…better than the previous. The passion between them was unbridled, and the feelings shared could never compare to anything. She took pride in the fact that nobody would ever experience what they did together, and nobody ever would, but things seemed different now. That pride vanished when Yuka had the chance to be with Michiru, and now it seemed like all the feelings shared were insignificant. The importance from each moment together was shattered.

Haruka figured she had no right to be upset, seeing as Michiru was alone and needed somebody, but it still hurt to think of the idea. Michiru was no longer hers.

Ever since that day, she disappeared back to where she arrived. It was the only place where she could keep her distance from the two women. She didn't know if she would be able to stand seeing them together, so she ran away. It was all she could think of to do.

"I can't go back there, Caleb. I just can't," she whispered.

He sighed and rubbed his neck. "Haruka, you can't be like this."

"Why not?"

"You agreed that you would protect Michiru, that you liked the idea of being able to watch out for her, but here you are just sitting here and pouting."

"I'm not pouting."

"Then what are you doing?"

She straightened her head and opened her eyes to look at him. "Shouldn't you be busy with something, Caleb?"

He moved closer. "Don't even start, Haruka. You are lucky enough to be her guardian angel so why are you being like this?"

"I can be however I want."

Caleb put his hands behind his back. "If you continue to ignore her and not do your job, you will be stripped of the privilege you have been given, Haruka."

She sat up straight now, assuming that his words implied some sort of threat. "What are you talking about? Are you threatening me?"

He shook his head. "I'm only stating the facts, Haruka. There's a rule that states if a guardian angel doesn't fulfill his or her duties, then the privilege will be taken away and never given back. So if that happens, then Michiru will never be protected from the fallen angels, and something bad will happen for sure."

Haruka never considered the fact that fallen angels would try to get to Michiru while she was suffering in her own misery. If she kept on, then something would happen for sure and then the guilt would consume her forever. She sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "I really hate this, Caleb."

"I'm sure you do, but it's something you can't control. You just need to deal with it and protect her so that she could have a possibility of being happy."

"That's what hurts so bad," she began, standing up and putting her hands in her pockets.

"I'm sure it does, Haruka, but there's nothing you can do about it. You can't interfere with the choices she is going to make without you. Just protect her…make sure she's able to live her life in the first place."

"It just keeps getting more difficult for me. I still love her so much, and now she's going out with someone else. Caleb, she's my everything, and to see something like this happen…it's just wrong."

"I know you're upset, but this isn't any of Michiru's fault."

"What are you talking about? She slept with someone else! She's going to fall in love with Yuka, and forget about me. I'm going to become distant in her mind…an echo of something she's lost and will never get back. Everything she is doing now is destroying me! She was everything to me!"

"And her everything is gone!" Haruka paused and stared at Caleb. "You're her everything, Haruka...these years have shown me that the two of you are perfect for each other. The love is always going to be there, and it's too strong to ever be replaced. But she lost her everything, Haruka. She lost you. I know it hurts, but don't blame her for trying to find a way to at least have some semblance of happiness, no matter the way in which she does it. You're able to watch her, to protect her, but everything she has of you is only in heart and mind. Yes, some tangible things and memories...but that's just not enough for a person who has lost someone who meant everything to them."

Haruka could admit that she was being selfish, but she couldn't help it. Michiru was everything to her, and Haruka didn't know if she could just simply understand that she would move on and fall in love again. But this was Michiru's life, and she did have the freedom to live it however she wanted. Haruka was no longer a deciding factor in her life. She was an outsider.

"I...it's just hard to accept the fact that she would ever let anyone else into her heart besides me," she answered Caleb, before disappearing.

* * *

**3 Weeks Later**

Haruka walked down the hallway, searching for Michiru. She had returned after the conversation with Caleb, but she kept a distance from the two women. She couldn't stand to see the playful and loving interaction between the two women. She was going to keep her promise of being able to be with Michiru and protect her, even if it hurt her in the process. She was at least going to keep that promise.

Haruka proceeded to the music room, knowing that Michiru would most likely be there. She stopped at the doorway and leaned on the frame to admire Michiru like she always did. Michiru sat on a bench, holding her violin in her hands and tuning it.

Michiru touched the strings, as if she were a child who was admiring the instrument for the first time. She sighed, placing the violin back in its case and closing it, a look of defeat on her face. Haruka rubbed her eyes, wishing she could do something about the pain she knew Michiru was going through.

She had still not been able to play anything, and Haruka knew how much it was tearing her apart. Music was her escape, and a way to get away from any sort of pain or problems, even if it was only momentary. It was a release for her, but now she was trapped. Michiru couldn't play a single note, and that upset her.

"I didn't know there was a piano in here," Yuka began, giving Michiru a quick kiss before moving to the larger instrument and taking a seat. Haruka clenched a fist at the sight of another person sitting at her piano.

Michiru moved closer to the piano. "I have had it covered to keep it from getting dusty, but decided to uncover it today." She stared at Yuka. "That piano belonged to someone special to me, Yuka. I'd appreciate it if you didn't play it."

Yuka looked up at her with indifference. "I just want to play something, is all. I'm not going to claim this instrument as my own, Michiru. Just relax, okay?"

Michiru didn't even flinch. "Don't ever talk to me like that, Yuka. If I say don't sit at the piano, then you'd better not even think of getting near it."

Yuka's face was still indifferent; she was a professional at hiding her emotions…just like Haruka. She stood up from the bench and leaned against the grand piano, crossing her arms and staring at Michiru. "Why are you getting so worked up?"

"I'm not. I just don't appreciate the tone you used with me."

Yuka shrugged. "I just want to play something for you, Michiru. I mean no disrespect or anything."

Michiru sighed, letting her guard down as the anger dissipated within her. She realized she was overreacting, but the piano belonged to Haruka. She didn't want anyone else to ever play it.

"I'm sorry, Yuka. I just…just please don't play it. I would appreciate it."

Yuka tilted her head a little, studying the woman in front of her. "This piano belongs to Haruka, doesn't it?" Michiru didn't answer her. "Michiru, I know you loved her a lot, but it's time to move on from all of that. It's been a good while already. I'm not saying to completely forget her, but you have me now." She walked closer to Michiru, rubbing her arm while her other hand rested on her waist. "I just want you to be happy, and I want to be the one to elicit such happiness. I'm going to take care of you." She gently kissed her lips. "I'm going to stay."

Haruka's fist relaxed, and then she put her hands in her pockets. "I hate this so much," she whispered.

* * *

**1 Month Later**

Days passed, and the relationship between Yuka and Michiru progressed, growing stronger and getting deeper. Haruka always kept her distance when the two women were together by sitting outside of the room, or leaning against a wall on the opposite side. She would never be able to get used to the interactions so she stayed away, but never left completely. Haruka was still protecting Michiru, but with Yuka having a permanent role in her life, there really was no need for her anymore. She was useless. She was a bystander. Michiru now had someone in her life to physically and truly take care of her, and Haruka didn't know how to handle it. She didn't know what to do anymore now that she didn't seem to be needed.

It was all weird and upsetting for her, but there was nothing that could be done. Michiru finally had somebody who could physically be there for her in every way, and that was something Haruka could never compete with.

She sat down on the floor outside the bedroom, having decided a long time before that it was always best to stay outside of the bedroom when they were in it together.

"Let me play you a song, Michiru. There's something I thought up the other day that I'm sure you would love."

Yuka got up off the bed and walked to the newly bought piano. After the argument about Haruka's piano, she decided to buy her own and place it in their room. She played every now and then, trying to persuade Michiru to accompany her, but the violinist refused every single time, explaining she still couldn't play. Even if she could, she would never accompany Yuka. It would be too uncomfortable for her to play with anyone else other than Haruka. It wouldn't feel right. It wouldn't sound right.

Yuka sat down and padded the area next to her. Michiru smiled and sat down, running her hands along the brand new piano, admiring its shine. When Yuka uncovered the black and white keys, Michiru could only feel a sense of déjà vu. She looked over the woman who resembled Haruka so much, and it was a fact that she still couldn't get over. Maybe that was why she was attracted to her. She saw and thought of Haruka so many times, and it made her miss the blonde even more.

Yuka ran her fingers over the keys, and Michiru pictured Haruka doing that. She so badly wanted it to be Haruka. She remembered when Haruka first played a piece to accompany one of her own. It was a day filled with so much happiness that it made her smile even though it was years ago.

Yuka turned to Michiru and smiled. She closed her eyes, took a breath and then began moving her fingers. The song started slow, her fingers gracefully moving across the keys and emitting a wonderful melody.

Haruka stiffened when she heard the first few measures, immediately recognizing the piece. She stood up and walked into the room. She looked at Michiru and noticed how surprised her face was.

"How does she know my song?" Haruka muttered, staring at Yuka. It didn't make any sense. It was impossible for her to know a song that nobody else ever knew. Haruka wrote and only ever played it for Michiru. It was their song…the only time they could escape the world through music together.

When Yuka finished she slowly opened her eyes. "Did you like it?"

Michiru was silent. When Yuka was playing, all she saw was Haruka sitting there, her fingers gliding across the instrument so easily and gracefully with a small smile on her lips. It was not her element, but anything she played always sounded amazing. She could see her so perfectly playing a song she wrote just for her. It brought so many memories back, as the emotion flooded her heart.

She remained speechless, finally looking back at Yuka. Even though the emotions did not subside, she was confused at how Yuka could ever know that piece. When Haruka wrote that for her, they had both agreed to never play it for anybody else. It was their song…their secret, and yet, Yuka had just played the same exact thing with the same grace and emotion. It didn't make any sense.

"How did you come up with that, Yuka?"

Yuka shrugged. "I heard an old song of yours the other day, and decided to write an accompanying piece to it. It didn't take me that long to come up with it, and I couldn't wait to play it for you." She laughed. "I was actually a little nervous because I've never really played anything for you with that much intensity."

Michiru didn't respond, still taken aback by the entire thing. She honestly didn't know what to think of it, but felt it better not to mention anything.

Yuka wrapped her arms around Michiru, pulling her closer and kissing her on the neck. Michiru was slow to reciprocate, but eventually placed her arms around the blonde's waist. She didn't want to give away that something was bothering her. She knew that questioning Yuka would only lead to confusion and arguments, and that was something she didn't want to deal with at the moment.

Yuka brushed a few strands of hair away from Michiru's face, caressing her cheek as a huge smile formed. She placed her cheek on one side of Michiru's, warm breath on her ear and neck.

"I love you, Michiru," she whispered, kissing her ear as her grip around the woman tightened.

Haruka frowned, fists forming as she took a few steps back away from the couple. All she wanted to do was get rid of Yuka and take Michiru away from here…for herself. She wished that every single day, but knew that it was impossible. It was difficult to see Michiru slowly show the same feelings that they once shared towards another woman. Being in love with Michiru was amazing, and it was a feeling they experienced together. They had their wonderful moments and times of hardship, but they knew each other, and they knew that getting through anything would only make the relationship that much stronger. They looked out for each other, they understood each other. It was a love that Haruka knew could never be replaced, but seeing Yuka holding Michiru the way she was and whispering those words, made it seem like it was a possibility. She was witnessing her only love start something brand new with a person she despised. It tore her apart.

Haruka turned around and leaned her head against the wall. She hadn't heard Michiru say anything yet, and she hoped it would stay that way. She hoped those words would never be said to another woman.

"I…I love you too, Yuka."

Haruka closed her eyes, her fists relaxing as she let out a labored breath. She fell down to her knees, as tears started streaming down her cheeks. She clenched her chest; the pain was so unbearable. It was all over for her. Michiru had fallen in love with another woman. The words and feelings they once shared were now being shared with somebody else. She didn't know if she would be able to live with that.

She glanced down at the yellow bracelet around her wrist. "Why did I ever agree to this?" she whispered, the words Michiru said to Yuka still replaying in her head.

It was all over.

She was nothing now.

* * *

**2 Months Later**

"I still haven't found anything, Haruka." Caleb said, sitting at his desk with papers and folders scattered everywhere.

"What do you mean? Why is it so hard to find anything on her?"

"I don't know. My men have been working hard to uncover anything, but haven't had any luck, and I've come up empty, as well."

Haruka paced back and forth. These past couple of months, her watch over Michiru has slowly diminished since Yuka has been taking care of her. Yuka protecting Michiru was the only positive thing she could see in their relationship.

"Maybe you need more people to help you, Caleb! Maybe you're not doing enough."

Caleb sighed and rubbed his eyes. "Haruka, I know you're frustrated, but being upset at me doesn't help any. Besides, guardian angels are still disappearing, and I have a lot of men trying to figure that out, too."

Haruka sat down in front of his desk. "Look…Caleb, I know I'm upset, but you need to understand why. I mean, this woman is just bad news, and I don't want anything to happen to Michiru."

"That's the reason you're her guardian angel…so that nothing does happen to her."

"I know, but there's only so much I can do. I just really want to figure out what's going on here, because there's a lot that just doesn't make sense."

Caleb threw a pile of folders off his desk, and they disappeared. He roughly pushed back in his chair, knocking it over when he stood up. He was getting frustrated with everything happening, especially the guardian angels disappearing, added on to what was going on with Haruka…nothing was going right for him.

Haruka was quick to be quiet whenever the man was upset. Even though he rarely became that unsettled, she was smart to know that he needed his space.

"Haruka, I really need your help with this. I need you to forget about Yuka for a while and help me with these angels disappearing."

She knew it must be bad if Caleb was asking for her help. She had been hearing about this entire thing happening, noticing the worry in some of the other angels as they wondered if they would be next. She didn't share that feeling, but was careful nevertheless.

"I really don't know what I can do, Caleb."

He walked around to the front of his desk then leaned against it, his hands on either side of him. "I need you as bait."

Haruka frowned. "Bait?"

"Every single file that I have read has stated that an angel disappeared when they went off somewhere alone, not protecting their person, but just wandering in the real world. Obviously, it'd be easier for something to happen to them when they're alone, and so I need you to do the same."

Haruka stood from her seat. "So you want me to get captured...or…or killed for that matter?"

"Look…I know this sounds crazy, but you doing this is the only thing I can come up with…"

"Why don't you use one of the guys from The Corp. or something? They're a lot stronger than I could ever be, and would be of much more help. I'm trying to protect Michiru here and you want me to just take a break from that to do this?"

"Haruka, we both know that she's going to be safe, and-"

She shook her head. "No…no, I won't do it. You know why?"

Caleb held out his hand. "Haruka, it's the only option I can think of, and I promise you'll be safe."

"I am not going to put my life on the line like that, Caleb."

Caleb rubbed his neck and sighed. He really was out of options, and if Haruka was refusing, he wasn't sure he could try to persuade another guardian angel to help him.

He looked up at her with tired eyes, out of ideas. He decided to give it one last try.

"You helping me is my last chance at saving every guardian angel here, Haruka. Please, I have never asked you for anything, and never will again, but I really need your help…please…"

Haruka didn't say anything, too upset about the entire situation. She knew Caleb was desperate and out of other ideas, and she knew deep down that she should, but she didn't know if she could. She was afraid of what could happen, and how that outcome could affect Michiru in the future. There was also the fact of what would happen if she did get killed. Would she become a fallen angel trying to constantly attack those who represent good because of bitterness? Would she constantly try to track down Caleb and other guardian angels because of her hatred for what they did to her? She didn't know what could happen and that scared her.

She grabbed the chair and threw it to the side. She took a few deep breaths, her hands on her hips and her eyes closed.

"Haruka," Caleb began, taking a step toward her, but he stopped when she held out her hand. She looked at him.

"I'll help you, Caleb," she said, before walking away.

* * *

**2 Weeks Later**

Haruka walked down the deserted street, having chosen to do all of this at night when very few people were going to be wandering the streets. She put her hands into her coat, still wondering why she agreed to help Caleb with this idea. She figured that it was only so this could be done and they could focus all of their time on trying to unravel who Yuka really was.

She clenched her hands when she heard a noise from the distance, but then relaxed when a cat ran to the other side of the street. She scoffed and shook her head, trying to relax and stay calm.

When she heard another noise, she thought it to be the same cat, and that was her first mistake. Before she could react, a hand had wrapped itself around her throat and threw her to the ground. She grunted, her eyes shut as her hands instinctively went to the one that was choking her. She heard and felt the flesh burning as her grip tightened, before it released her neck.

Haruka coughed, rolling over to her side and trying to get up as quickly as possible. A foot came down on her back, but she resisted being forced to the ground. She blindly reached to where she knew the other leg must be, based on the position of the foot on her back. Once grabbed, she pulled and heard the person fall on their back.

She quickly rose to her feet and took a few steps back. Black wings covered the body of whoever was on the ground, so she wasn't sure of the kind of threat she was up against. Blue flames engulfed her hands, as she prepared for the impending fight.

"You know, you're still the same, Haruka," she heard.

The wings parted, revealing a face she was hardly able to recognize.

"Daniel?"

He grinned, dusting off the suit he wore.

"Did you really think I was going to miss this opportunity?"

He smirked, letting his black wings spread to their full length. His face was different, as scars and cuts graced it and there was a gash along the length of his neck. His eyes seemed a lot darker, as the blackness was even emptier than the last time she saw him. The hatred in him had completely taken over his being.

Haruka discarded her jacket to let her wings be free, allowing her better movement and agility. She kept her eyes on Daniel, staring at the scars on his face.

"Are you admiring the art work on my face, Haruka?" He laughed, moving closer to her. "This one is my favorite," he motioned to the gash along his neck. "An angel tried to kill me with a dagger by slicing open my neck, but he was using the wrong type of dagger, and so I didn't die. I ended up killing him instead, using the same method."

Haruka clenched her fists, taking a step back, but not faltering in her stance. She needed to be strong, she needed to be brave.

"I'm surprised you want to fight here, even though it's night time, something could happen and somebody could get seriously hurt." He shrugged his shoulders. "Not that I mind or anything."

"I put a barrier around this street so that nobody will see or hear what's going on, and that any damage we do will be undone once the barrier is gone."

"I'm glad I have you to look out for everyone else because I just don't care." Daniel pulled out a dagger from behind his back. There was a red aura around the black blade, and the hilt changed colors, from gold to silver. "When this hilt is gold, I can kill you, Haruka. When it is silver, I can cause you immense pain."

The blue flames around Haruka's fists became bigger, as she took one more step back. "Are we going to fight or not, Daniel?"

He grinned. "So eager to die, are we?" He disappeared.

Haruka created an invisible shield around herself. It would not stop an attacker, but slow them down enough to where she could react. She had seen enough fights to know fallen angels were much faster than she could ever hope to be. This shield was her only defense.

There was a spark to her left, as the shield was immediately broken down. She turned, grabbing Daniels hand that held the dagger, burning his flesh. She reached for his neck with her other hand, burning the flesh there as well, but it only lasted for a few seconds.

There was a sudden pain in her back, which caused her to loosen her grip on Daniel. He disappeared again. Haruka reached behind her back, and felt whatever was in there carefully. She grabbed it with her right hand, trying to pull it out, but to no avail. She fell to her knees, knowing that whatever was in her back was draining her powers and strength.

Daniel appeared in front of her, kicking her in the face. She fell to the ground, but managed to get back up and take a few steps away from him.

He switched the dagger between his hands. "Did you think I only had one of these daggers, Haruka? The one in your back has a silver hilt, and it will drain all of your powers until you're useless. It is then I will take your life."

"Are you afraid to fight me at my full potential? Afraid you'll lose, so you resort to stabbing me in the back. You're pathetic, Daniel." She smiled at the anger he was showing now.

Haruka was finally able to pull the knife out, throwing it on the ground at Daniel's feet. "You may have rid me of some of my strength, but it only makes you seem weak. Even at this potential, I can still defeat you."

Daniel picked up the dagger, reciting something she couldn't make out. Haruka groaned at the pain of the wound in her back closing, but the pain soon vanished as she felt stronger. "I will fight you at your full strength, Haruka, just so I can prove that I'm much faster and stronger than you'll ever be."

The daggers vanished, and he disappeared once more. "Why do they always have to hide," she muttered, creating another shield around her.

It wasn't long before the shield was broken down again, this time right in front of her. She was punched in the face, but she did not falter. Another punch was coming, and she anticipated it. She grabbed his arm, pulling him forward as her other arm hit his stomach, a blue light getting bigger, and seeming as if it was engulfing his body. He yelled out in pain.

"I will destroy you, Daniel."

Before the blue light could completely encompass his body, Daniel grabbed her and pulled her to him, his black wings surrounding them. The ground began to shake, cracking under their feet, but Haruka couldn't push him away. A red light could be seen in the cracks, before shooting up around their bodies.

Daniel suddenly let her go and moved back, but Haruka couldn't move her body anymore. She was frozen inside the circle of red light, and she could feel her wings burning, the pain unbearable.

Daniel walked around her, clutching his stomach. "Do you really think you can destroy me, Haruka?"

Haruka kept trying to move her legs, her arms, any part of her body, but there was no response. Her wings were being burned, extremely slow, but the pain intensified with every second.

"I'm going to kill you, Haruka, and then I'm going to kill Michiru. It will be the best thing I could ever experience."

Her eyes went from their normal green to an all blue color, and Daniel stopped, surprised by that minor change.

Haruka's wings moved to be around her, a glow emitting from them, as the ground began to shake even more. Daniel stepped to the side, watching the glow with curiosity. He had never seen anything like it, and decided that he should probably kill her before she was able to free herself from the wall he had put around her.

He ran towards it, stepping inside the barrier, but her wings opened with a force that pushed him back. He landed on his back, skidding to a stop a good distance away. When he sat up to look, she was gone. He stood up quickly, the dagger from before appearing in his hand.

"Let's stop playing these games, Haruka. Give me the chance to give you death. It'll be all you've ever dreamed of."

Daniel walked around the street. "You'll be able to have amazing speed, strength and power. It will be simply amazing. You will love it!"

He turned around quickly when he heard a noise, only to be hit and blown back by a blue ball of electrical energy.

Haruka appeared behind him, stopping his body with her hands. She grabbed him and threw him to the ground, digging his body into the cement. She stood straight, slamming her foot into his chest a few times, creating an even bigger crater.

She stopped, and then took a few steps back to let the dust clear. Daniel lay there for a while, trying to catch his breath, and coughing up blood. His shirt was torn, and his wings a little battered. He stood up slowly, spitting the blood from his mouth and wiping it from his nose with the back of his hand.

He stood up straight, holding his chest in pain, and stared at Haruka. Her eyes were still of a blue color, and although her wings were burned, she didn't seem like she was in any pain. He gripped the dagger in his left hand, knowing that she was fast, but he still believed he was faster. Her change in behavior and speed was unexpected, but it meant nothing to him.

He was still going to kill her.

"I know you're working for somebody, Daniel." He turned his head to the side. "You know who is in charge of causing these angels to disappear and die."

"What makes you think I just didn't want to kill you?"

"If you did, you wouldn't have had mercy on me earlier. You would have just killed me while I was weak from that dagger wound." She took a few steps closer to him. "You need me alive, even though you want me dead." She noticed his face change. "You were ordered to take me in alive."

Daniel was amused. "You seem to know a lot about how we operate, Haruka."

She shook her head. "Not really. Y'all are just too easy to figure out, is all."

He laughed. "I guess that's true, but you should really give us a lot more credit than that."

"Why should I?"

"I've already captured you." He said, grinning. "I've had you this entire time. I've just been wanting to hurt you, really. You were right that I was never going to kill you. I was ordered to capture you, but I wanted to have some fun first."

Haruka didn't say anything, too confused by his words. She didn't feel constricted in any way that made it seem like he had control over her. Maybe he was just bluffing or trying to scare her.

"I guess I just got carried away and forgot. I probably would have really killed you too, and I would have gotten into a lot of trouble."

Daniel threw the dagger behind him, and it disintegrated. He said something in Latin, putting his hands in his pockets.

Haruka grunted in pain, looking down to her body. A dagger was in her chest, with a green hilt. "That dagger has been inside of you for a while now, Haruka. I just hadn't activated its powers."

She reached for it, but was shocked when she grabbed it. She shook her hand, before trying again, ignoring the pain from the shock and tried to pull it out. It wasn't budging at all, and she felt herself getting weaker. She let go and fell to her knees.

"When I let you have your powers back, the energy also included some of mine. It created a dagger that went into your chest, but you didn't feel a thing and couldn't see it." He punched her. "The green hilt is actually a lot worse than the gold one." He laughed and hunched down to her level. "You're going to come with me, Haruka, and there's nothing you can do about it."

He recited something else in Latin, and green fiber wire came out of the hilt, wrapping itself around Haruka's body. It tied down her wings, and bound her arms and legs. She fell to the ground, unable to break free of the wire.

"What reason would you have to capture me?"

Daniel didn't respond. He kicked her in the face, knocking her unconscious.

* * *

**2 Weeks Later**

"I'm surprised you're awake so soon, Haruka. You just got here yesterday, and now you're doing a lot better. I'm impressed by your ability to recover quickly," Caleb said, sitting down next to her bed.

Haruka rubbed her arm, flexing her hand. "Whatever you gave me really helped."

"How did you manage to escape?"

"There was an opportunity, and I took it. It wasn't the guards I was worried about, it was Daniel. I got by them easy, but then Daniel caught word of my escape, and came after me. I simply just got lucky, and was able to escape."

Caleb didn't say anything for a while. He fidgeted in his chair, rubbing his face and neck, not really knowing what to say. "You know…I never wanted you to get captured."

She didn't look at him. "You told me that your men were going to arrive a little after we started fighting. What happened?"

"Daniel created a shield around yours that prevented us from getting to y'all. I don't think you were able to see us, and we couldn't break the barrier…it was too strong. We could only hope that you'd hurt him enough to where it would be weakened and we could break through…"

She just nodded. "How is Michiru doing?"

"She's fine. Nothing has really happened. The only weird thing is that while you were captured, no attacks happened at all on guardian angels. It's like…they really just want you for some reason."

"I don't know why. I don't know anything, really."

"Well, in any case, since you returned yesterday, the attacks have started again, and have been much worse than before."

She laughed a little. "So, you're saying that I'm the reason for these attacks being so bad?"

"I'm not saying anything, Haruka. We just don't know anything yet about why this is happening. Hopefully, though, we can start getting to the bottom of things."

"Are we going to be able to focus on Yuka now?"

"We will…I promise you, but I need to know what happened while you were captured."

Haruka rubbed her eyes, resting her head on the wall behind her. After she was captured, she was forced awake by being shocked. Startled and disoriented, she tried moving her arms and legs, but she was tied down to her chair. Her struggling didn't waiver, and neither did the shocking. She was repeatedly told to stop, but she was not going to falter. Her persistence could be how she would escape. Water was poured on her, before she was shocked with an even higher voltage, and this stopped her. She wanted to get out of there, but if she was badly injured, then it wouldn't have been worth it.

She went in and out of consciousness for what felt like days, when it was probably only been hours. When she wouldn't cooperate by answering any questions, they would burn her wings, little by little. She was beaten and starved, but she still refused to give any of the information they demanded.

She remembered, one day, being woken up by somebody softly slapping her cheek and snapping their fingers in her ear. It was the first time she hadn't been painfully woken up.

"Do you know why you're here, Haruka?" She kept her head hung, and her eyes closed. "You have information that we want."

She opened her one good eye to look at who was talking to her, but the bright light shining in her face only allowed her to see the individual from the waist down.

She opened her mouth to speak, ignoring the pain in her jaw. "I'm just a simple guardian angel," she paused, licking her dry lips, "I don't think I'll know anything valuable to you."

There was a scoff. "You are a lot more important to me than you know, Haruka. I know everything about you, and I know that you are really close to Caleb."

"Caleb?"

"I want you to tell me everything about him, about any routines of his, about where he goes, powers he has…anything I want to know."

Haruka closed her eye, and let her head fall down. "If I refuse?"

"What you have been through so far has not been as painful as what I will put you through if you do not cooperate."

She smiled. "I'd like to see your worst."

The pain she felt for the entire time she was there was indescribable, but she endured it all because she knew they wouldn't kill her. They had no real reason to, and they probably enjoyed that she was feeling pain; they were having too much fun.

She withstood everything, even though there were times she felt like giving in; she just kept thinking and planning of ways to escape that place. She listened to everything the guards said and talked about, anything to help her figure out routines and how the place operated.

A guard was changing the straps around her arms and legs, the previous ones having been worn…it was something done by the same person and in the same way. She took this as the perfect opportunity to get loose, knock him unconscious, and find a way out. When she did get out of the building, she could see a barrier in the distance, and she knew that it was what was preventing her from teleporting out of that place. She started to run, her weak body making her speed extremely slow, but she didn't stop.

About halfway, a siren went off, and she cursed to herself, knowing that she was going to be hunted. She knew that Daniel was probably going to be the one to chase after her, since she heard from one of the guards that he was the one to usually do so for anybody else who tried to escape.

Haruka fell to the ground, her legs getting weaker. A gash on her forehead started to bleed, and she rubbed the blood away from her eye. Her stomach was hurting, as she coughed up some blood, but she forced herself to get back on her feet.

"Where do you think you're off to, Haruka?" she heard in the distance. There was a laugh, before Daniel appeared right in front of her. He didn't touch her, or do anything, he just stood there. She instinctively took a fighting stance, not paying attention to the soreness in her muscles.

Daniel smiled. "I don't think you're in any condition to fight me."

"I'm going to get out of here, one way or another."

He simply stared at her, amused by her perseverance. He stepped aside.

"Go ahead, you can go. When we fight again, and we will, I'm going to do it on my own terms," he finished, before disappearing.

Even though she was surprised at how easy that was, she didn't waste any time. She limped outside the barrier, and then transported herself away from that place.

Caleb sat back in his chair, his arms crossed. "I'm sorry you went through all of that. If we were able to, you know I would have sent men to save you, but we're not allowed into their world."

She turned to look at him. "What do they want with you? Is there something you're not telling me?"

He frowned, shaking his head. "I honestly don't know what they want. I have enemies, but so does everybody here. I haven't done anything that would single me out."

Haruka wasn't sure whether to believe him or not. Whoever held her captive was very persistent in their questioning, and all of it concerned Caleb. It was like the person knew him personally, but she was never able to figure out the relationship.

"Look, Caleb…I-"

An assistant of Caleb's burst into the room, holding a slew of folders and papers against his chest. He paused, bowing to silently apologize for his intrusion.

"Sir, we have some information that you need to be aware of immediately."

Caleb stood up and walked to the young man. "This had better be good, Gabriel."

Gabriel nodded his head, sorting through the papers in his arms before coming upon a specific folder. He handed it to Caleb, gathering what fell on the floor back into his arms. Caleb scrolled through the folder, a look of indifference on his face before it turned into astonishment.

He didn't look up from the folder. "Are you sure all of this information is accurate?"

"Yes, sir…every single detail. We were even allowed to travel to that instant ourselves and see it with our own eyes."

Caleb took a deep breath, as he kept reading over the information, again and again. He dismissed Gabriel, who, again, apologized for the interruption before leaving. Caleb went and sat back down, not even bothering to look at Haruka. He rubbed his eyes with his fingers.

"Are you going to tell me what's up?"

Caleb threw the folder onto Haruka's lap. "You're going to get mad."

* * *

**11 Months Later**

It had been way too long. Haruka didn't know how she dealt with everything for eleven months, but she survived it. She sat on the floor of the bedroom, watching as Yuka played the piano. Michiru sat on a chair, her legs folded under her as she read a book.

Haruka leaned her head against the wall, a small blue flame forming around her hand. There were so many instances where she desperately wanted to hurt Yuka, to just destroy her life so that she could be miserable, but Haruka knew that wasn't an option.

"Nobody would miss her," she spoke to herself, a blue flame forming around her other hand. She could hear Caleb's voice in her head, upset at her for speaking in such a way, and trying to get her to think twice about the consequences to such rash actions.

The flames disappeared and she folded her arms. Ever since Haruka found out what was in that folder, it was like every single day was just miserable. It had nothing to do with Michiru; her love was safe and very far from any sort of trouble. There had been no real attacks or problems that put her in danger, and Haruka was extremely grateful for that. Other guardian angels were still being kidnapped and attacked, but Michiru was safe. For the past eleven months, that was all she seemed to care about.

Everything in that folder was all about Yuka.

Every ounce of anger, every shred of hate that Haruka held in her body, was directed towards Yuka.

It was quick, at first. All Haruka saw was red. All she felt was rage. After she read the contents of that folder, she transported herself to where Yuka was. The Corp. showed up immediately after her, their swords drawn. If it wasn't for Caleb being there to stop them, they would have surely attacked Haruka and taken her away.

Caleb could see the anger in her eyes, as they had specks of black. He had never seen anything like it before, thinking it was impossible for somebody other than a fallen angel to possess such color in their eyes. The flames around Haruka's hands were completely black, as if her transition from good to evil was instantaneous.

"Haruka, I know you're upset, but-"

"Upset?!" She turned to look at Caleb, her eyes sending shivers through his body.

He swallowed his sudden fear, pushing it aside as he still held out a hand to prevent The Corp. from taking her away. "You need to think about this, Haruka. You need to pull yourself together!"

"I can kill her right now, Caleb…and I would only feel satisfaction."

"Then you'll be just like her…"

"I'm nothing like her!"

He took a step forward. "Look at yourself! Look at what you're thinking of doing, Haruka. It will only cause problems, and you will be consumed by an evil that you will never be able to escape."

"Her death greatly outweighs whatever consequence awaits me."

The Corp. advanced forward, noticing a black aura forming around her body. The leader didn't say anything, but pushed Caleb's hand out of the way. Caleb stood in front of him, a pleading look in his eyes, silently begging for more time. The leader hesitantly took a step back, but kept his eyes on Haruka.

Caleb went and stood in front of Haruka, blocking her from seeing Yuka's face. He thought about lowering her hands, but was unsure if the black flames would harm him.

"Do you want to hurt Michiru?" Haruka didn't answer. "Killing Yuka right now will only hurt Michiru, and she will be alone once again. She will go through everything that she went through with you again." Caleb saw a glimmer of green in her eyes, but it was quick to vanish. "You're going to destroy her, Haruka. Is that what you want?"

Haruka was able to eventually calm down, but the anger remained. It was like it spread through her body, coursed through her veins and never relinquished its hold on her. The anger turned into a feeling of disgust. She despised Yuka, and she knew it would never change.

How could she ever feel any different for the woman who caused her death?

Yuka was the reason for her death, and that same woman was with Michiru.

Haruka stared at Yuka, who was still playing the piano. "You don't deserve her," she muttered, the flames disappearing.

Haruka and Caleb spent eleven months trying to figure out why Yuka would do such a thing, since Haruka had never known the woman before. There was no real explanation for it, but they knew for sure that it was done purposely.

The music stopped. "Michiru," Yuka began, getting the woman's attention, "I have a song I want to play for you."

Michiru smiled, closing the book and placing it on the table next to her. She nodded her head for Yuka to start playing. Yuka smiled, turning her attention back to the piano. She closed her eyes. "Now, don't laugh at me, but I'm actually going to sing to you, too." Her statement earned a laugh from Michiru, but she could only grin.

Haruka walked out of the room when she started playing, not really feeling up to hearing the song; it was all garbage to her. She leaned against the wall outside the bedroom, crossing her arms and simply deciding to wait until the song was over before she reentered the room.

The song finished, and she sighed, sticking her hands into her pockets. She waited a good while before walking back in, sensing that some sort of affection was to follow such an intimate song. She kicked off the wall and turned into the room, immediately stopping once she looked ahead of her.

Yuka held Michiru's hand. "You are everything to me, Michiru. You are my heart, my soul…you are my life. You are my reason for being happy in every sense of the word. This time spent with you has been amazing, and more than I could have ever imagined." Haruka walked closer to the couple, rubbing her eyes, hoping it was an illusion. "I want you to be happy, and I can only hope that my love will be enough for that to stay true."

Haruka felt like she was going to be sick. She dropped to one knee, her stance almost mimicking that of Yuka's. She held her stomach, clenching it and pulling her shirt. She rubbed her eyes with her other hand, shaking her head before looking back at the couple. When Michiru said "yes" to those infamous four words, it was like Haruka's entire being shattered. It was difficult enough for her to handle them being in love, especially after finding out what kind of person Yuka was, and what she was capable of, but now…everything was different now.

Haruka could not fathom the fact that Michiru was going to marry the woman who killed her.

The only thing she could think of to do was what she did best.

She disappeared.

* * *

"I know this past year has been horrible for you, Haruka, but I do have some good news for you."

"I doubt anything could be considered good after everything that has just been going on."

Caleb walked up to Haruka, grabbing her hand and touching the bracelet. Only a few seconds passed before it completely disintegrated. Haruka pulled her hand away, gripping her wrist and enjoying the feeling of not having to look at or feel the bracelet.

She looked up at Caleb. "Has it really been six years already?"

He nodded his head. "As I told you, after six years, you can now appear in her dreams."

Haruka smiled, not really believing that she would finally be able to speak with Michiru, to touch her, to hold her. She was still upset about everything, but this gave her a sense of hope to the possibility that maybe things could change. She hoped that she would be able to prevent Michiru from making a big mistake.

"You'll be able to start appearing in her dreams tonight, but you cannot say anything about her engagement to Yuka."

Haruka frowned. "What are you talking about? I think I have every right to tell Michiru everything that we have discovered about Yuka!"

He held out his hand to stop her from talking. "I understand your eagerness to do so, but you only need to follow this rule for one week. The first week is meant for you to enjoy her company, and with every dream, you will be with her longer. After a week has passed, you can warn her about the engagement, but you cannot state specifics."

Caleb grabbed Haruka's hand. He gripped her wrist, said something under his breath, and then let go when a blue energy bracelet formed around her wrist. "The yellow one prevented you from entering her dreams, but this one allows you to enter them, and only her dreams. If you try to enter somebody else's dream, you will be stripped of the privilege entirely."

Haruka nodded her head, touching the blue bracelet and enjoying the warmth it provided her. It was such a complete opposite from the shock she would receive from the yellow one, and she welcomed it.

Things were going to change.

* * *

**Finally, this chapter is done. Again, I'm not too satisfied with it, but I really wanted to get it out of the way. If you enjoyed it, I'm glad. Thanks for reading, and review if you'd life. Take care!  
**

**-Nightfall5029**


	7. Repeat

**It was difficult for me to write this chapter. Simply put, it's sad, at least in my opinion. But everything I wrote is necessary for future chapters. I really and truly wanted to convey just how heartless and gruesome fallen angels are, and I feel like I did. I also wanted to show just how much chaos there is between good and evil, and how difficult it is to be on either side. I hope this chapter does not disappoint, and that it isn't too much. I actually considered changing a lot, and taking out so many parts in this, but I decided against it. I even almost completely re-wrote the entire chapter, but I left it alone.**

**Everything here takes place during what was happening in the third chapter, but just from Haruka's perspective. Also, I'm horrible with Japanese names, so I just use American ones; I hope that doesn't take anything away from the story.**

**Also, thank you so much for reading my story. As a person who likes to write, is all I could really ask for. So, much appreciated. I hope you enjoy the chapter.  
**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything, except for the plot. **

* * *

**The Only Promise You Ever Made**

**Chapter 7-Repeat**

Haruka stared at the blue bracelet around her wrist, still not believing how easy a color difference could change everything. She kept rotating it, enjoying the warmth that seemed to course through her body. Caleb had left her alone earlier, stating he would be back, so she simply sat on the floor, not knowing what else to do.

She was excited to finally be able to talk to Michiru, but she was also afraid. So much time had passed, and a lot of things had changed. Haruka wasn't sure what she would say, if anything; maybe a smile would be enough for now. But, Michiru was newly engaged, and to a woman who destroyed their life together, and it would be difficult for Haruka to keep quiet about everything. She wanted to warn Michiru, to tell her that she was making a mistake by being with Yuka, but she couldn't risk what would happen if she didn't keep silent about it all. It was only for a week, but the thought of Michiru spending any more time than she already had with Yuka bothered her.

Caleb still hadn't been able to find information on Yuka, and that made things worse. Haruka kept telling him that he wasn't doing enough, her anger controlling her words to place the blame on him. It was foolish, she knew, but she was desperate. When Yuka played the song for Michiru, the one Haruka wrote herself, she couldn't believe it. She got this feeling that there was something wrong with the woman…something strange and even malicious about her. There was never any proof, but for her to know that song was more than enough for Haruka to become afraid for Michiru's safety.

Haruka leaned her head against the wall, closing her eyes to calm down her breathing that sped up in frustration anytime she thought of Yuka. Hopefully, in the future, she would be able to do something to change the mistake Michiru was going to make by marrying Yuka.

"What if I can't change her mind," she whispered, her eyes opening. She frowned, focusing her eyes on the small silver band that was still on her ring finger. She had been allowed to wear it this entire time, and never once thought about removing it. But, now that Michiru was wearing a ring given to her by another woman, she wondered if what she wore still held the same meaning it did those many years ago. She slid it off her finger, admired the shine it radiated even after so long, and then put it back on her finger where it belonged.

Regardless of what the future held, Haruka knew that everything she had with Michiru-all the feelings and memories-they were all real and still very much alive within her. The small silver ring was a part of those memories, and she was never going to get rid of something that brought her so much happiness when she thought about it. That ring reminded her of the love she knew still existed within both of them, and even with everything that happened and not being able to be together, it would remain forever.

Caleb suddenly appeared in front of her, leaning against the wall opposite her for support. Haruka quickly stood up, noticing his fatigue and battered appearance.

"What's wrong, Caleb?" she asked, walking closer to offer help, but he shook his head.

"There's something going on, Haruka," he began, rubbing blood off of his face. He stared at the blood on his hands before wiping it on his torn and dirty jacket. He looked at her. "The attacks on guardian angels have increased tremendously. So many are dying, or being seriously injured." He started coughing into his hand, blood splattering onto it. Haruka, again, tried to touch him, but he brushed her off; she took a step back, deciding it best to keep her distance.

"Do you need me to help? Is there anything I can do." She was panicking, knowing fully well how strong Caleb was, and that if a fallen angel had hurt him, then something really was wrong. She had never seen an angel stronger than Caleb, and that scared her.

Caleb shook his head, still violently coughing. He finally stopped, clearing his throat and trying to catch his breath. "I don't want you to get hurt. These…these angels, they're not like any other ones I have encountered, Haruka." He stood straight, still leaning against the wall for support. "I don't know where all of these attacks are coming from, but I just wanted to let you know that if I tell you to leave here, then you'd better leave."

"But what about the dreams…what about Michiru?"

"If I tell you to leave then you leave!" he repeated, his anger bringing about another coughing fit.

She took a step back, surprised by his outburst, but she understood. "Where should I go?"

Caleb grunted in pain, and Haruka finally noticed the blood seeping through his jacket on his side. She clenched a fist, upset that she wasn't there to help him.

"You need medicine, Caleb."

He nodded his head. "I'll take care of myself in due time. I won't be able to get away every single time to come get you, so I'll try to reach you telepathically."

"You can do that?"

He put his hand against the wound on his side, hoping the pressure would help with the bleeding because he was losing too much blood. "I'm not usually allowed to, but there's no other way for me to reach you quickly." He coughed some more, rubbing his eyes and face with his other hand, smearing blood on his dirty features. "You may not hear me the first time, because we've never done that sort of communication before, but you'll feel like you have a throbbing headache suddenly."

"What am I supposed to do? How do I get out of the dreams on my own?"

"You just have to tell Michiru to wake up, and hope she listens."

Caleb pushed off the wall, and then grabbed Haruka's hand in his own. There was a sudden burning sensation on her palm, and she tried to pull away, but his grip tightened. She made a face, the pain intensifying, but Caleb did not weaken his hold on her. When he finally let go, there was a symbol embedded in her left hand. She had seen something like it before, but on the hands of the men who helped Caleb with his cases.

"When you get out of her dream, you'll end up back here, every single time. If I tell you to leave her dream, and you do, you need to look at that symbol on your hand, and it will tell you where I am. You teleport there right away, because if that's the case, then I will need your help after all."

Haruka didn't say anything, as she kept staring at the symbol. "You can count on me, Caleb," she answered, looking up at him. He nodded his head, before disappearing.

Haruka traced the symbol on her hand, worried about Caleb. There was blood on her hand, and she tried rubbing it off, only smearing the already dried substance. She wondered if maybe she should simply teleport herself to wherever he was, and help him right now. He was in bad shape, and needed to treat his wounds.

Whatever was happening, it was taking its toll on him. Ever since she returned from being captured, the attacks had stayed consistent. There was at least a handful of angels being killed or turning into fallen angels every other day. Caleb kept trying to figure out the reason for the countless attacks, knowing that he couldn't simply attribute it to just pure hatred. There was something going on, and he wanted to desperately figure it out so that no more lives were lost.

Haruka had pleaded with Caleb to let her help because she was stronger than most of the other guardians, but he refused each time, explaining that her life was too valuable. She retorted that every angel's life was valuable, but he simply brushed it off. Now, having witnessed how badly injured he was, she knew the attacks were getting worse. The fallen angels were becoming more brutal and ruthless. If Caleb ended up needing her help, then things were surely getting dangerous. Even so, she was going to be ready.

The blue bracelet started to glow, interrupting her thoughts. On reflex, she touched it, and was teleported to an area that was bare, save for it being bright. It was like where she first appeared after her accident.

Haruka looked around her, seeing nothing. There was nobody there, and she wasn't sure what she was supposed to do. She turned around, and it was then she knew where she was. Michiru stood there, her tear stricken face downcast. In that moment, it was like seeing her for the first time again, and all the feelings she held for that woman encompassed her body, causing her to smile. She took a few steps forward, and then stopped, realizing she didn't know what to say. She took a deep breath before closing the rest of the distance, knowing that even though words would not be enough to express her happiness at seeing the woman she loved, they would still come naturally.

"Michiru…" she whispered, the name rolling off her tongue with such emotion.

There was a short hesitation, confusion on the other woman's face, before she looked up at her. Haruka just stared into those eyes, not really believing anything. It may have been a dream, but it felt so great for Michiru to be able to see her, to acknowledge her. Haruka grinned, all of the feelings and love they shared rushing over her, making her take a step closer.

"Haruka…you're okay. You're…really okay."

Her voice…it was more than she could bear. The sound of it was calming, and she smiled, because the way she said her name; it was like nothing ever happened to them.

Michiru rushed into her arms, as Haruka wrapped them around the shorter girl's body. She felt everything—the warmth and her skin. She dug her face into her hair, the smell of it and her body causing memories to just overwhelm her.

For the past six years, Haruka had been able to see her whenever, but this was different. Michiru was saying her name, holding her with such desperation that it made her frown. She could only imagine what the shorter woman thought about all of this, and it made Haruka wonder if Michiru felt guilty at all…for everything. The small hands wrapped around her back tightened slightly, clinging to her shirt as tears wet the front of her shirt. The last thing she wanted was for Michiru to feel any sort of guilt or sadness.

Haruka's grip tightened, still amazed at how perfectly they fit together. And even after having held each other countless times while they were together, this was different…this was the greatest thing to her right now. Michiru was the most important person to her, and to be able to hold her again…she couldn't describe the happiness.

It all stopped when she felt a sudden pounding in her head. It felt like a migraine, and the pain only intensified with each second. She frowned, but did not give any indication to the other girl that anything was wrong. Their first moment together in six years had just started, and now it was going to be ripped away from her.

"I'm glad you're okay, Haruka," Michiru said, rubbing her face against Haruka's shoulder.

Haruka took a breath, trying to ignore the throbbing in her head. She smiled, and then kissed Michiru's neck, her lips lingering there. "I am okay. I made you a promise, didn't I?" There was a pause, and she kissed her ear softly. "But I need you to do something for me, Michiru."

Michiru was quick to reply. "Anything…"

Haruka pulled back, already missing Michiru's skin on her lips. She brushed a few strands of hair out of Michiru's eyes before resting her hand on her cheek. She faintly noticed a light radiating off of her left hand, and she was starting to feel a little dizzy. She needed to get out of the dream fast.

"I need you to wake up."

The words were difficult for her to say, but the response to them was instantaneous. Everything went white, and when she opened her eyes, she was standing where she had been before the dream. She already missed the warmth and gentleness of the other woman, but she knew that they would be able to see each other again.

Haruka opened her hand, the light encompassing her palm and glowing bright red. It showed coordinates of where Caleb was, but it was an area she didn't recognize. She took a deep breath before transporting to his location.

Her transportation was a clumsy one. She landed on her back, but was lucky to be on the ground. An explosion had erupted only moments before, debris flying toward her. She turned her body, pulling up her legs and covering her head. Before everything had settled, she was forced on her back.

A hand went to her throat, black wings creating a shadow over them, as she heard another explosion. She grabbed the arm with both of her hands, burning through the skin and muscle, but the grip didn't loosen. Her hands eventually grasped bone, and she knew she couldn't burn any further. Whoever the fallen angel was had a high tolerance for pain, or just didn't care enough to release his hold on her throat.

Haruka made her right hand into a fist, a blue energy sword manifesting itself in her grip. She stabbed the angel through the stomach, causing the hand to weaken for only a moment, before it tightened again. The tip of the sword split into opposite directions, the blue energy wrapping itself around the angel's body. Haruka was able to finally breathe when the angel took a few steps back, trying to pull the sword out of his body, but in vain. The energy squeezed his abdomen, burning through the skin, muscles and organs. His body was cut in half before disintegrating.

Haruka rubbed her neck, coughing and staring at where the fallen angel just was. That was her first time using that energy sword, and she couldn't believe the outcome. She finally got onto her feet, taking off her jacket and discarding it to let her wings extend to full length.

She looked around for the first time, not believing the amount of angels battling. She didn't understand what was going on, or what had caused a fight with such scale. She coughed a little more, scanning the area for any signs of Caleb, before settling her eyes on the fights above her. He was in the sky, fighting three fallen angels, but she could tell that the odds were not in his favor.

Before she could fly up to help him, a fallen angel tackled him all the way to the ground, the impact causing an explosion of dust. When cleared, she ran to the crater, finding Caleb unconscious in the middle. His clothes and condition were worse than only minutes ago when she saw him. His wings were battered and burnt, and his face was bloody. The three angels he was fighting appeared in front of Haruka, on the other side of the crater, staring at her with curiosity.

"I've never seen you before," one of them said, dusting off his clothes nonchalantly.

The second one smiled. "You must be the one he called here telepathically. I could sense it, but I figured it would be someone," he paused, popping his neck, "who would be more of a challenge."

The third angel, the one who tackled Caleb to the ground, stood there quietly. He wore a hood, preventing Haruka from seeing any of his face, save for the glow of his red eyes. He put his hands in his pockets, taking a few steps back.

Haruka kept her ground, glancing from Caleb to the three angels, not knowing whether to fight the three men, or try to give herself some time to get him out of there. Caleb was still motionless, and she knew he needed help, but she also knew that the men would probably kill her if she let her guard down for even a second. She could read the first two men, but the third one, he was a mystery to her and that scared her. His body language was stiff and consistent. She knew he wasn't going to speak, and not being able to completely see his face was even worse. She wanted to go after him first, but was actually too afraid to do so, and he probably noticed the fear.

She put her attention back to the first fallen angel. "What's going on here? Why are y'all attacking everybody so suddenly?"

The first one laughed. "So suddenly? This is what we do…this is who we are." His wings spread open, a few black feathers falling away. "We're enemies, and we kill each other. I have nothing to lose by trying to kill you or any other guardian angel," he finished with an amused smile and confident tone.

"I have done nothing to you. I don't know you, and hold no grudge against you," she provided, taking a few cautious steps closer to the crater.

"You represent everything I want to destroy, and that's more than enough motive for me."

The second one grunted. "Why are we even talking to her, James?"

Haruka took another slow step, staring at the third angel, waiting for him to make a move or say something, but he kept silent.

James held out his hand. "I want to see what she has to say. You're too impatient, Alexander."

"I just want to kill her and go on to the next," he said, turning to look at James with impatience.

Haruka put another foot forward, taking the advantage of the two men talking to each other and not paying attention to her. Before she moved again, two daggers appeared in front of her feet. She gasped, taking a step back. She looked up and saw James smiling.

"We're not as stupid as you think," he explained.

Haruka ignored his remark and pointed at Caleb. "Let me take him out of here," she started. "He needs help."

Alexander laughed. "Do you really think we'll let you do that?" Haruka didn't respond, still debating whether she was fast enough to get to Caleb and teleport him out of there. Alexander noticed her tense posture, and her eyes darting around her. He grinned before disappearing.

James crossed his arms. "You should probably run…your hesitation will only kill you."

"I'm not leaving him here without him," she answered, another blue energy sword forming in her right hand. "I'm not afraid of you."

"I warned you," he responded, before disappearing, too.

Haruka didn't move, putting her attention to the third man. He hadn't moved an inch, still standing there with his hands in his pockets. His calmness irked her, and she decided that she should attack him first, make the first move. She was going to get hurt either way, being outnumbered, so she decided she would start the battle her way.

Haruka jumped over the crater, pulling back her sword, ready to pierce it through the third angel. Her speed had increased over the years, but she knew the fallen angels were still much faster; it was still worth a shot. She needed to do something so that the men didn't hurt Caleb anymore. She was tackled in the air from the side, crashing to the ground on her back and sliding along the concrete. When she didn't feel the weight on her anymore, she put her arms behind her and pushed her body up, doing a backflip to land on her feet. She was quick to bring up her sword in front of her, the sound of another clashing against hers ringing in her ears.

She may not have been able to fully see the two fallen angels, but she could hear them. She moved her body quickly, using her sword to deflect incoming attacks. After a while, she could sense that the attacks were slowing down on purpose, as if they were testing her to see how fast she was. She didn't relinquish her speed, but did begin to conserve her strength. Every now and then, she would glance at the third fallen angel, noticing he was still standing there, staring at her movements, probably studying her. It bothered her, but she wouldn't be able to attack him while trying to defend herself.

The attacks suddenly stopped, James and Alexander appearing in front of her, holding their swords at their side.

James rested his sword on his shoulder. "You're faster than I thought you would be."

"But at your current speed you won't be able to defeat us," Alexander said, another sword appearing in his vacant hand.

An explosion erupted close to their position, and Haruka took this as an opportunity to get close to them. She charged at James, teleporting herself behind him when he raised his sword to deflect her incoming attack. She put her arm around his neck, pulling him back and into her sword. It went through him, and he grunted, his face quickly switching from pain to anger.

Alexander charged at them, but Haruka let go of her sword and extended her arm, releasing a ball of electrical energy at him. He blocked it, but it pushed him back, and then eventually knocked him down. He got up quickly, throwing daggers at her. She grabbed James, forcing his body to turn and stay in front of her, the daggers digging themselves into his chest.

James yelled out in pain, struggling against Haruka's hold, but she was much stronger than he imagined. Her hands were burning through his clothes, eventually reaching his skin. He turned his sword around, deciding to use the proximity to his advantage. He pierced it through his body, pushing back into Haruka so that the sword would immediately go through her once it left his own body. He grinned when he felt resistance, satisfied that it reached her. Haruka retracted her arms, pushing James away to get the sword out of her body. The pain was fierce, a burning sensation spreading through her body like her insides were on fire. She pressed her left hand against the wound, trying to slow down the bleeding as she coughed up blood.

James turned around to face her, taking out his own sword to then throw it to the ground. He laughed at Haruka, knowing the severe wound he caused and the indescribable pain she was feeling. He reached behind his back, gripping the hilt of her sword to remove it, but it didn't budge. Confused, he looked down at the blade, noticing it splitting into countless lines of thread. The thread started to wrap around his entire body. His movements were not restricted, and so he tried to pull at the thread, receiving burns to his hands.

"What is this?" he yelled, directing his question to Alexander. The fallen angel didn't respond, not knowing what to say. James had never seen anything like it before. The threads started to tighten around his body, burning him slowly, and he yelled out in pain. The thread around his right arm seared through his skin, before it suddenly went through, tearing his arm into pieces.

He stared at Haruka in anger. "I'm not going down without you!" A sword appeared in his left hand, as he charged at her. Before he could reach her, his left leg was gone. He stumbled to the ground, crying out in pain, but still determined to reach her. Using his remaining two appendages, he pushed himself along the ground, crawling in order to reach her. Haruka just stared at him, amazed at his perseverance. Slowly, but surely, his other leg was gone, and then his arm.

The screams were more than she could handle. She turned away, turning to Alexander. He finally looked away from James, and then disappeared. The anguished screams coming from James didn't drown out the sound of his body being ripped apart. When there was silence, she figured he was completely gone.

Haruka swallowed hard, not able to fathom just how violent the swords she created could be. She didn't want to have to kill anybody, but if she didn't, then her life would be the one to end, and she wasn't going to let that happen.

A bow and arrow appeared in her hands, and she readied the bow, listening for anything that could give Alexander away. She ignored the pain in her abdomen, knowing it would only be a distraction.

"Haruka…"

It was only a whisper, but she heard it. Turning to her left, she saw Caleb staring at her, a look of fear in his eyes. She rushed to him, the bow and arrow vanishing from her hands. She checked his wounds for the first time, and cringed at how bad they really were.

"I'm going to get you out of here, Caleb," she said, putting her hands around his body. He shook his head.

"You…go…" His words came slowly, and she knew he must have been in immense pain.

"I'm not going to leave you here. We can-"

Haruka was tackled from behind, and she felt herself being lifted from the ground. A body was pressed against her back, arms tightly wrapped around her torso.

"I'm going to kill you," she heard Alexander say. His voice was low, but deafening to her ears. She could hear his hatred for her. She could feel it.

She struggled, kicking and thrashing her arms, but she couldn't get out of the hold. She heard a blade being unsheathed, and then felt pain in her back, near her right shoulder. The blade was pulled down her back, and she knew what was happening then.

The pain was indescribable, feathers from her right wing falling away, and the pain was more than she could bear. She kept trying to get out of his grip, but to no avail. The blade met resistance, slowing down but still progressing until it reached her lower back. She yelled out as her wing was ripped from her back and then discarded.

Alexander disappeared, and she began to fall. With only one wing, she couldn't fly. She wasn't screaming anymore, descending with her back to the ground, her eyes closed while she listened to the rough wind. She wasn't expecting this fight…she didn't want to fight. But here she was, having already killed two fallen angels, and a third possibly succeeding at killing her.

A vision of Michiru appeared. Haruka moved her fingers, still able to faintly feel Michiru's body from earlier. Her nose picked up her scent again, allowing more memories to flow from all corners of her heart. She opened her eyes, hearing Michiru's voice in her head, speaking words of love and encouragement to her; for her to stay strong.

Haruka flipped her body over, facing the oncoming ground. She wrapped her one wing around her body, as a green energy surrounded her entire body, slowing her descent and allowing her to land on her feet.

She stumbled, even though there was no real impact from the landing, falling to her knees. Blood was leaving her body at a much quicker rate now, the wounds in her stomach and back finally taking its toll. She felt light headed, holding herself up with her palms against the rough ground. She heard the footsteps running towards her, and a sword being created. She felt the anger, the flat out hatred directed at her, and it hurt. She had never been able to feel anything like it before, but now she sensed everything. The feelings made her want to cry, but she wasn't sure if it was from anger or from sympathy.

She didn't have enough energy to create another sword, and so she yelled, anticipating the blow that could possibly end her life.

It never came.

There was a flash of white, and then a body in front of her. Sparks of blue and red fell around her, and Haruka blinked a few times from surprise. The body belonged to a woman who she didn't recognize. Alexander grunted in frustration, before disappearing. The woman kept her fighting stance for a few more moments, before turning around and kneeling in front of Haruka. Her blue eyes showed worry and concern, her long hair falling past her shoulders, but held together with a ribbon.

The dizziness came, and Haruka's body collapsed to the ground. She blinked again, trying to focus her blurry vision. The other woman's mouth was moving, and then pausing as she looked around when an explosion occurred, before moving again, directing her words toward Haruka. The blonde's ears rang, and so she couldn't make out what was being said.

The ringing finally subsided. "You need to stay awake, Haruka!" she pleaded, looking over Haruka's body. The woman wrapped thick cloth around the blonde's torso, the pressure causing her to scream. She grabbed the woman's forearm, noticing just how much blood covered her arm.

"You're going to be okay, Haruka. I promise you," she assured, but Haruka noticed the fear in her eyes when the woman caught sight of the gash on her back.

Haruka coughed, covering her mouth as she split up so much blood. Her body ached, and even with the cloth around her body, she was becoming weak from the blood loss. She took a labored breath, clenching her stomach. "Who are you?"

The woman didn't answer, standing up to step in front of the blonde. Haruka lifted her eyes, frowning at the site of Alexander standing a few yards away, a sword in each hand.

"You're going to leave right now, or I'll have to kill you, too," Alexander said, red flames igniting around both swords.

"You're not going to hurt her anymore."

Alexander grinned, moving his swords a bit. He laughed a little before shaking his head.

"Who are you? Why do you want to protect this woman?"

The woman moved away from Haruka. "I protect people because that is what I choose to do, just as you hurt people because that is your choice."

"I didn't choose this!" The flames around his swords were black now, and Haruka felt the anger again, but there was sadness to it.

"We all make our own choices. We all decide our future."

Alexander looked away, one of the swords disappearing. What the woman said upset him, and Haruka knew he must have been a guardian angel before this life. She honestly wondered what he did to be a fallen angel now.

No more words were said. Both of the angels rushed at each other, their swords meeting in the middle. The fighting that ensued was too fast for Haruka to keep up with, and she was only able to see black and white.

"I need to get away from here," she muttered, rolling onto her stomach to crawl. Her back burned, her stomach bled; she wasn't going to get anywhere in her current condition, and she didn't have enough energy to teleport herself. When the sound of swords ceased, she looked up to see Alexander with his arm around the woman's neck, holding her to him with his sword at her neck.

"You made your choice to defend her," he began, tightening his hold as she struggled, "and so I am choosing to kill you for your foolishness."

Before he could move, two arrows went into his head, and he disintegrated. The woman fell to her knees, looking up at Haruka to see the bow in her tight grip, with a pained expression on her face. She rushed to Haruka, falling to her knees once at her side.

"I'm going to get you out of here, Haruka. Everything is going to be okay."

Haruka looked to her side, noticing the third man from before walking away; she knew he would return in the future. She coughed up more blood, the motion causing her wounds to hurt even more. Her hand went to her stomach, but the motion was slow, and she was too weak to apply any pressure. Using her bow and arrow must have drained more energy than she thought it would.

The coughing subsided. "What about Caleb?"

"He's already been taken away from all of this."

Haruka rested her head against the ground, closing her eyes. She felt better knowing that Caleb was safe. A hand grabbed hers tightly, while another rested on her cheek. "What's your name?" she whispered, drifting away to unconsciousness.

"Violet."

* * *

"I'm glad to see you're doing a lot better in such a small amount of time, Haruka."

Haruka nodded her head. "You were in a much worse condition, Caleb, but you look like nothing even happened."

Caleb stood next to where Haruka was lying down, his hands behind his back. "I'm a lot stronger than you in more ways than one, but I still have a little pain here and there so I'm not completely healed."

It had only been twenty-four hours, but the wounds Haruka and Caleb received were healing quickly. Their bodies were not invincible, and both of them sustained permanent scars from the battle, but the more severe ones healed well enough to where their powers and strength returned.

Haruka touched her shoulder, her fingers moving individually. They stopped moving when her fingertips didn't feel the feathers, and she frowned, confused that the wing hadn't returned.

Caleb coughed, and turned away. He couldn't bear to look at the hurt expression. "Your wing won't heal until about a week, Haruka."

She didn't say anything as she rubbed her shoulder. Nodding her head, she leaned it against the wall. "It will come back for sure though, right?"

"It will, but the scar you have from losing it will remain. The scar on your stomach will stay there, as well. Some of the scars that we receive from fallen angels usually stay with us forever."

"I know…you told me before that they can really hurt us."

Caleb finally sat down. "I'm…sorry about all of this. You saved my life, Haruka, and I want you to know how grateful I am for that."

"I didn't kill all of them," she began, turning to look at Caleb with a frown. "The one who tackled you into the ground walked away." She shook her head. "I…I couldn't attack him because of the other two, but I'm not even sure I would still be alive if I did."

"He'll come back for us," he answered, and the sadness in his voice was something Haruka rarely heard. These attacks bothered Caleb, and she knew it was more so than ever since he couldn't understand why they were happening in the first place. "Guardian angels are still being attacked, and a lot of them have been killed, Haruka."

Caleb stood up to walk to the foot of the bed, his back to her. She noticed the fatigue in his posture, the sadness in his stride, but she didn't know what to say. No words could help the situation. She had never seen him like this before. Even when he was frustrated or upset, he kept his composure, and she admired that. But, this…this was not the Caleb she knew. Whatever happened truly and deeply affected him. He was in a place she wasn't sure she could save him from.

"Some of the guardian angels have turned into fallen ones, Haruka…they," he choked on his words, before taking a deep breath, "…they came after me yesterday, and I didn't know what to do."

Haruka sat up straight, the movement causing a pain she ignored. "Caleb, none of this is your fault."

"I killed them all, Haruka. I…I didn't have a choice."

She stood up, walking slow towards his defeated form. "You had no other choice. Don't blame yourself for doing what needed to be done."

"I could have saved them!" he yelled, clenching his shirt.

Haruka was too slow to respond to Caleb's anger and sadness.

He disappeared.

* * *

The week went by, and Haruka appeared in Michiru's dreams every single night. She forgot about the fight, and about all of her problems. The moments she shared with Michiru were all she had, and she was going to enjoy them in every single way possible. Each dream lasted a little longer than the previous, if only by so many seconds, but if it meant more time, than Haruka was grateful.

She hadn't seen Caleb since the day after the battle with the fallen angels, and his small outburst before disappearing worried her. She asked a few of his aids if they knew of his location, but each answer was a negative one. She even tried using the locator embedded into her hand, but it didn't work anymore. She could only hope he wasn't doing anything foolish.

It was the eighth day Haruka was to appear in Michiru's dreams. The blue bracelet began to glow around her wrist, but before she could touch it, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned around to find Caleb, but he seemed different. His eyes were almost lifeless and the color faded. His expression was serious, his body tired and the small smile he tried to show her did nothing to persuade her that he was fine.

But, she knew that he wouldn't answer any of her questions, so she didn't even bother.

"You can warn her now about Yuka, Haruka," he started, his voice barely above a whisper.

She had completely forgotten about the rule he mentioned a week earlier. She was so caught up in the time she enjoyed with Michiru that she forgot all about the engagement. Her heart sank, and she rubbed her eyes. "I don't know what to say, Caleb," she confessed.

"You can say whatever you want, but you can't state any specifics. If you do, you'll lose this privilege."

She opened her eyes. "I know, but…," she stopped talking, surprised that Caleb wasn't present anymore. She sighed, not knowing what to think of his behavior, but also knowing she wouldn't be able to help him if he didn't even want it.

Haruka touched the blue bracelet, being transported to where she was always sent, but this time, she stood in a corridor rather than a blank space. She turned around at the sound of feet walking, to see Michiru walking away from her. The glint of her engagement ring caught her eye, and she sighed, still not knowing what she was going to say. She wasn't sure how to warn the woman she loved without giving anything away. If she wanted to, she could just tell her everything, and hopefully Michiru would believe her. She would risk losing her privilege of appearing in her dreams, and possibly even her wings as a guardian angel, but maybe it was worth it so she could be safe. Haruka shook her head, deciding that idea would not be the smartest thing for her to do right now.

Haruka sped past Michiru and then stopped in front of her. She knew the woman couldn't see her yet, and that was fine, considering her heart and mind were still battling each other, coming up with the words to begin the impending and unwelcome conversation.

"Haruka," Michiru said, and the blonde closed her eyes, the gentleness of her voice the one sound she could never tire of. The lights flickered off before quickly turning back on, Haruka's form materializing itself in the darkness.

Michiru stared at her, probably noticing her disappointed expression fairly quickly. Haruka could see the confusion written all over hers. All the moments they spent together this past week and now she was going to possibly ruin it all.

Thoughts of Michiru marrying Yuka, and Yuka being the cause for her death overwhelmed her. She stuffed her hands into her pockets to prevent the fists her muscles begged her to form. She was angry, and some of it was towards Michiru, regardless of how much she tried to persuade herself otherwise.

Even though she was angry, it did not overshadow her love for the other woman. It was always present and never gone for even a second, but today was different. Haruka knew the expression on her face collided with the look of her eyes. Michiru frowned, noticing this for sure.

Michiru took a step forward, but Haruka was quick to hold her hand out, forcing the other woman to stop, her look of confusion changing to sadness. Haruka needed to keep the distance, if only for a while, so she could say what needed to be said, and without giving too much away. A single kiss, even something as small as a touch from the other woman, and she would lose her reason. She would confess everything, and suffer whatever consequence would follow such a rash action. She didn't want that to happen.

"Why is everything so different, Haruka? Why won't you let me near you?"

Haruka wasn't sure how to begin. She gently smiled, hoping the action would lessen the intensity of the entire situation. She knew it only made things worse, as her smile was a sad one. "Nothing is different, Michiru," she began. "It's just that you have changed, and that fact changes everything." It hurt her to say those words, because the pain and hurt embedded in them was evident instead of underlying, and she knew Michiru heard it. She knew that Michiru felt the pain in every syllable.

Michiru shook her head and took another step forward. Haruka took a step back, knowing that any sort of hesitation couldn't be allowed. She also knew that the lack of it could possibly destroy them, because then she wouldn't be able to control her words or her anger.

"I haven't changed, Haruka," Michiru began, glancing away. "Sure, things are different now that you're gone, but I haven't changed." The look she gave her was more than Haruka could handle. "I still love you so much, and you know I always will. I would give anything to be living my life with you."

Haruka heard the desperation, and she also felt all of the love in every word. So many times before those same words were said to her, and it was, simply put, amazing every single time they were spoken. Now, it made it that more difficult for Haruka to have to ignore them, because if she didn't then her resolve would shatter.

She didn't say anything for a while, before slowly nodding her head. "I know that, and so would I, but-"

"Then why aren't you with me?!"

The interruption was unexpected, but she didn't blame Michiru for being upset with her. Michiru rushed towards her, but she kept her distance, taking a few rushed steps back. Haruka noticed the tears welling up in the other woman's eyes, and the effort it took to hold them back.

"You made me a promise, Haruka. You made me a promise!"

Haruka never knew how much breaking a promise could hurt. "And I intend on keeping that promise in the best way that I can," she offered. It was the only explanation she could give, knowing that going into detail about being a guardian angel was forbidden.

"How? By appearing in my dreams after six years? By not letting me near you? I…I don't understand," Michiru said, her words and form defeated. "I know that you're Haruka, I can see it in your eyes, but you're acting so different. What's going on?"

Haruka knew she just needed to get this dream over with. She crossed her arms over her chest, trying to control her breathing and calm down her heart rate. "I'm here to warn you, Michiru."

"Warn me? About what?"

Haruka glanced at the ring on Michiru's finger. The sight of that ring, instead of the one she gave her years ago, caused a fierce pain in her heart. Michiru was going to promise herself to somebody else, ignoring the one they made to each other. She laughed to herself—a broken promise for a broken promise. She put her hands behind her back, her thumb touching the ring she still wore on her left hand. "You can't marry her," she answered, barely able to stop herself from continuing.

Michiru frowned. "I don't see why not, Haruka," she began, anger overtaking her voice. "I mean, shouldn't you be happy for me that I'm finally able to move on after so long?"

She wondered if Michiru truly was happy with Yuka…if she had honestly moved on and forgotten about the life they shared together. Happiness was all she wanted for Michiru, but, like it had been for the past few years, she still could not fathom the idea of Michiru being with another woman.

Haruka put her hands in her pockets, grateful for the instinct to do so whenever she was frustrated. This small action prevented her from saying anything rash, at least for the moment. "That has nothing to do with it. I am happy that you're able to finally move on, even if I don't really like it, but this is your life and you can live it however you want. I just want to warn you about her before you make a mistake," she finished, trying to be careful with her words. She wanted to confess to Michiru that she wasn't fine with her choosing Yuka, as well as her reasons, but she bit her tongue.

Michiru angrily shook her head. "I don't believe you. You're not making any sense. You don't know her, Haruka!"

Haruka tasted blood in her mouth, but it didn't prevent her anger. "And neither do you!" She walked forward, pulling her hands out of her pockets to place them at her side. "You don't know her, Michiru. You don't know anything about her. Please, just listen to me." Her expression softened, and her muscles relaxed. She could only express her sadness about the entire situation, knowing that it was up to Michiru to change anything.

She felt Michiru's hand grab hers, and she let it happen, wanting nothing more than to touch her. "I don't understand why you're telling me this, Haruka," she began, her grip tightening. "I want to believe you, but I don't know." Haruka knew she was being too broad about everything, and with the lack of specifics or explanation, Michiru wouldn't be able to understand why being with Yuka was such a horrible thing.

"If you really cared about her, you would have told her already about these dreams, and about me," Haruka confessed, frowning when her hand was suddenly vacant. Michiru hugged herself, Haruka knowing it was a defense mechanism. She knew Michiru didn't want to talk anymore, but Haruka needed to continue. "You haven't told her anything about me…not one single thing. What does that say about your relationship with her?"

Michiru stood there for a while. There were no words and no sound. She hugged herself tighter, and Haruka so badly wanted to hold her, to forget everything they were talking about and just hold her. "I can't talk about you, Haruka." She looked up at the blonde, not even bothering to wipe away the tears. "It hurts too much, even after all these years."

Haruka glanced away momentarily, unable to bare the sadness. "I'm just trying to protect you, Michiru." She finally pulled her close, still amazed at how real it felt, even in a dream. "You have to believe me. I'm just trying to watch out for you." She laughed, the chuckle eliciting a confused look. "It's been so hard for me, Michiru. It's been so hard to see you in so much pain, and all I want is for you to be happy. But…just not with her." The pleading in her voice was more evident than she would have liked. Haruka didn't like to beg, but she didn't know what else she could say that could possibly persuade Michiru to forget about Yuka. She couldn't give any details, and so she resorted to desperation.

"Will you at least tell me why?" Michiru asked, but Haruka slowly shook her head.

"I'm not allowed to do that. You just have to believe that I'm telling you the truth." She hesitated for a moment, trying to think of a different way to relay her next few words, but there was no other way. "I promise you I am."

Michiru rested her forehead against Haruka's chest, and grabbed on to her shirt. She shook her head, the tears and sobs coming freely. "Don't say that," she choked.

"What?"

"Don't say those words to me. Please, just don't ever say them again," she pleaded, wrapping her arms around the blonde.

"Michiru…"

The lights started to flicker, and Haruka knew her time was up. She said what needed to be said, and could only hope that Michiru would try to understand her words, and soon. She tightened her hold around the shorter woman. "Michi…I have to go."

"No, you can't. You can't leave me like this! I haven't felt like this in six years, and now you're suddenly going to leave me!"

The time she spent with Michiru was not up to her, much to her dismay. If possible, she would spend much more time with Michiru, and simply enjoy her company, her laughter…that smile of hers. It was all she ever wanted with being able to enter her dreams, but now she knew things were going to be different because of the conversation they just had. Haruka looked up at the lights, and one by one they started to go out. She would give anything to stay with her just a little longer. "I still love you, Michiru. I always will. And I'll be watching over you. You'll get to see me again. Trust me."

Haruka quickly pulled Michiru into a kiss, the passion overtaking both of them. It was the last thing they shared before everything went black.

Haruka opened her eyes, immediately noticing she wasn't back to where she usually went after a dream ended. She was in a forest, the moon and stars offering light, but not enough for her to see clearly. The wind was strong, blowing her hair and clothes, and the trees rustled in an almost violent nature. She snapped her fingers, a white orb appearing in her hand. She threw it above her, the ball separating into smaller orbs, before going into all directions to offer Haruka more light around her. She wasn't sure why she ended up here, but the light gave her a small sense of calmness.

The noise was abrupt, but she heard it clearly. She turned with haste, readying the arrow along the bow that was already in her hands. She released it, but it was deflected. She released more, trying to release them faster than the other figure could block them with their sword, but she was much slower. She finally stopped, knowing any more attempts were futile.

The figure walked closer to her, each orb of light going out as he passed under it. She took a few steps back, having gotten rid of the bow and arrow, as blue flames engulfed both of her hands.

"Who are you?"

It was then she saw red eyes, and her heart sank. It was the man from days ago, the one who she didn't fight.

"I'm not here to hurt you," the voice said, and Haruka frowned. The voice belonged to a woman.

"But you're one of them," she retorted. "You're a fallen angel." She didn't lower her fighting stance.

"I might have the black wings, and the red eyes, but what is left of my heart does not belong to the fallen. It is mine, and mine alone, and it chooses to help you."

"Help me? Why would you want to help me? I don't even know you."

The woman took a few more steps closer, holding out her right hand. A black orb appeared above her palm, video of Haruka's past fights being played. "I've been watching you for a very long time, and I know all about your entire situation." The orb went black again, before a picture of Michiru appeared. Haruka took a step forward, unsure of what to think about all of this. "I want to help you with things that are going to transpire in the future, Haruka. I want you to be prepared."

"Why should I accept your help? How do I know you're not just putting up a charade?"

The woman slowly pulled back the hood over her head, revealing a beautiful face with soft features. Her red eyes were gentle, and Haruka saw no anger or hatred in them. Her hair danced in the wind without the protection of the hood, and Haruka could have sworn she saw hints of blue in her eyes at times.

"I was a guardian angel just like you, before the privilege was ripped from me." She tore the sleeve of her robe to expose her right arm. She showed Haruka the mark engraved into her bicep. "This is the mark that every fallen angel must bear, but not always in the same place. It burns every single day to remind me of the foolish actions of my past."

"So why is yours there?"

The woman sighed, turning away to look at the mark, rubbing it with her thumb. Haruka saw the pain on her face, guessing it must be hurting her at the moment. "I killed another guardian angel for accidentally killing the person I was protecting," she said, still not diverting her eyes from the mark. "When I killed him, he grabbed my arm right here, his blood burning my skin. The Corp. felt it only fitting that it should be where I bare the mark."

Haruka heard the regret in her voice, and felt the despair in her heart. Waves and waves of emotions radiated off of this woman, and Haruka felt every single one. She grabbed her chest, the feelings causing her heart to literally ache in pain. "If you have the mark," Haruka began, breathing in deeply to relax the pain, "why are you not like the others?"

Her red eyes finally looked back to Haruka, but she kept her hand over the mark. "When we become fallen angels, a lot of memories and feelings are ripped from us, leaving us empty, save for the hatred in our hearts. There are a select few of us who are able to retain some of the good, and we cherish it, but we cannot reveal any of this."

"You would be killed," Haruka stated.

The woman nodded her head. "If not killed, then our hearts would be completely taken from us, and it's like we would become machines, killing any person who possessed love or any sense of good in their heart."

Haruka remained skeptical. "You tell me this, but why did you hurt Caleb?"

She laughed a little bit. "For the sake of putting on a show."

"That was a pretty painful and convincing show," she retorted.

The woman rubbed her eyes, frustrated because she truly felt things would go a little smoother than this. "I know you don't want to believe me, but if I wanted you dead, we both know you already would be."

Haruka sighed; the woman had a point. The flames around her fists finally subsided. She still wasn't completely positive about letting her guard down and trusting this woman, but she was curious to hear what she had to say, and why she was offering her help.

"So what is it you want to help me with?"

"You are a target now, Haruka," she began. Another orb formed above her open palm, the fight from earlier replaying. "You have killed three fallen angels, and now more are going to come after you, because what you did is not an easy task." The video stopped, and a picture of Daniel appeared. "He will keep coming after you until you or he is dead. Be careful with him…he is more capable of hurting you than you think."

"The last time…he captured me the last time," she explained.

She nodded her head. "There are a lot of things that Caleb isn't telling you, Haruka. You are being deceived in so many ways, but you don't realize any of it."

Haruka wasn't sure how to respond. She trusted Caleb, and felt that any time she asked questions, he was giving upfront and full answers. Then again, she still hadn't seen him all too much, and the time she did earlier, it was brief and he was…different. He wasn't himself in any way. Maybe he really was keeping things from her. Her jaw clenched, the possibility of him being dishonest upsetting her.

"So, what's going on really?"

"I can't tell you specifics. I'm risking my life, and yours, just talking to you. I just wanted to warn you that things are going to get worse for you, and to be prepared."

Haruka didn't say anything, understanding her reasons for silence. "I don't know if I should thank you or what…"

A faint smile graced her delicate features. "Just…be careful." She touched the mark on her arm. "I don't want you to end up like one of us, Haruka. This sort of life is not meant for a heart like yours."

With that, she disappeared. Haruka stood there, trying to really understand what just happened, and to let the information sink in. Whatever was to happen, she knew she wasn't going to let anger or hatred push her to the brink of madness; she was not going to become a fallen angel.

The orbs of light all went out at once. Dizziness overtook her, and she fell to the ground. She grabbed her head, but the pain only intensified. She blacked out.

* * *

There was so much going on that Haruka decided not to appear in Michiru's dreams anymore. As much as she didn't want to stop, she really wanted to focus on helping Caleb, and protecting other angels. Too many were dying or being hurt and she couldn't let it happen. She also wasn't sure how appearing in any more dreams would play out, considering the conversation she had with Michiru. She wasn't sure what she would say or if things would be awkward, so stopping for the moment was for the best. She needed to focus on other things right now.

The fighting continued, and it seemed to only get worse. Guardian angels were being mercilessly attacked by fallen angels, either being killed or transforming into fallen angels themselves. Haruka was unfortunate enough to witness such a thing.

Haruka had just transported to where the fighting mainly took place, deciding that she should help out in any way possible, even if she despised having to kill. She couldn't just let her fellow guardians become injured or killed. It bothered her more to just stand by and do nothing, than to be a part of something she wanted nothing to do with.

The sky was completely dark, and the darkness was welcomed by the fallen. It made it extremely difficult for them to be detected, and that advantage would give them the upper hand. Haruka looked around the area, noticing guardians throwing orbs of light all around to provide some sort of aid for their eyes. The orbs were constantly being created, to only be destroyed quickly. The presence and immediate absence of light allowed Haruka to only see so much of the fighting between the angels. It was like the movements were too fast for her to keep up, because any time an orb allowed her to see, everything was always different.

"I was wondering when you would grace us with your presence, Haruka!"

The blonde turned around, recognizing the voice. Even though she couldn't see the fallen angel, her hearing was good enough to where she could pinpoint it.

"Why don't you show yourself instead of hiding, Daniel," she answered, creating orbs of light around her.

He laughed. "Where's the fun in that?"

She clearly heard the footsteps, but it was accompanied by another sound she didn't recognize. Daniel appeared under one of the orbs, his face worse than the last time she saw him. His body was bloody, and his clothes torn. His wings were battered, holes here and there on his left one, while his right had blood splattered on it. Countless scars ran along his arms, neck and face. She couldn't take her eyes off of his face. It looked like it was slowly decaying…it was like his hatred for her, and for guardians in general, was consuming him even more. She didn't think that was possible, considering that last time they fought, she knew his soul was already gone.

"Again, you're admiring my looks, Haruka. I'm flattered," he began with a grin.

"Can we just get this fight over with, Daniel?"

An eyebrow went up. "You kill three angels and now you think you're undefeatable or something?"

Haruka noticed cloth gripped in his hand for the first time, and she frowned. She created more orbs, circling them around Daniel so she could see better what he was holding. Her eyes widened when she realized it was the unconscious body of a guardian. The other sound she heard earlier was him dragging a body behind him.

Daniel turned his head a little. "I want you to see, firsthand, what can happen to you, Haruka."

Haruka made a move towards him when he unsheathed a black dagger with the hilt on fire. He swiped his hand towards her, an invisible force pushing her back, but she resisted. She regained her balance quickly, advancing with more speed. Daniels eyes went from their normal color to one being black, and the other red. It was a change that took place when fallen angels were about to kill a guardian, so that they could become a fallen one. He mumbled something under his breath, forcing Haruka's movements to cease. She stood there, unable to move at all, frustrated that he used another one of his spells on her. It was another one of his paralysis spells, but it only affected her from her shoulders down. She could move her head, and speak…she could see everything but not be able to stop it.

Caleb mentioned to her before how to break the spell, but she couldn't remember what she was supposed to say. She cursed to herself for that foolish mistake; it was going to cost an angel to lose his life.

"This is going to be so much easier now that I won't be disturbed," Daniel said, laughing to himself. "Thank you for understanding, Haruka."

"You don't have to do this, Daniel!" She resisted against the spell, trying to move even just a little bit, knowing that would give her hope to simply break the spell on her own accord. She couldn't even move a finger or hand. Her resistance was futile. "Leave him out of this, and just fight me. I know that's what you really want."

Daniel let the body fall to the ground, shoving his left foot into the part of the back that was between the wings. "I want you to suffer, and I have this feeling…this little feeling that this would make you suffer more than any pain I could cause."

Daniel flipped the dagger, bending down and grabbing the left wing with his vacant hand. He jammed the knife at the top of the wing, deep into the body, before pulling it all the way down. The sudden injury awoke the young man, his eyes opening, and the pain evident all over his face. He yelled out, thrashing his arms and legs as he tried to turn over, but Daniel simply put a paralysis spell on him.

Haruka just watched. The other wing was cut and torn off, before the young man was turned on to his back, his tear stricken eyes pleading with Daniel to stop. The look on the young man's face broke her, as she tried again to break the spell on her. She hoped her willpower and urgency to want to save him would be enough. Again, she couldn't move at all. She saw Daniel mumble something, before stabbing the knife into the heart of the guardian.

A pain washed over Haruka, her chest on fire, and tears falling from her eyes. She turned her head away and closed her eyes. She heard the knife being pulled out, and then sheathed.

"You're going to miss the best part, Haruka."

The screams were deafening to her ears. She unwillingly opened her eyes, the young man on his knees now, crouched over in pain. The black wings tore through his back, slowly breaking through his back before extending to their full length. His screaming stopped, and he stood up, staring at Haruka with red eyes and a grin. There was nothing left of who he was before, and that destroyed her. The mark that she was told about by that woman was on the right side of his face, clearly visible as it glowed.

The spell on Haruka was gone, and she fell to her knees. She knew the young man was going to attack her, but she wasn't sure if she would be able to defend herself and ultimately kill him. It would cause a pain she wouldn't be able to handle, and the guilt would consume her. She now understood why Caleb was the way he had been after he had to do the same in order to defend himself and other angels.

"I put a spell on you preventing from teleporting out of here, Haruka. So, I guess I'll leave you two alone to have some fun," Daniel said, flying up into the fights above them. "You'll see me again," he yelled, before he was gone.

Haruka looked up at the young man, who now held a sword. She shook her head, tears still falling down her cheeks, as she angrily wiped them away. He walked toward her slowly, a look of complete hatred on his face; he clearly wanted her dead.

"I could have saved him," she whispered to herself. "This is my fault." He ran towards her now, readying his swords to attack her. She closed her eyes, shaking her head. "Don't make me do this," she said, noticing his battle cry getting closer. "Please…don't make me do this," she pleaded once more to nobody in particular.

Haruka yelled and opened her eyes as a sword appeared in each of her hands. She blocked his attack with ease, the other sword nearing his stomach, but her heart stopped her from completing the motion. She pushed him away, quickly wiping away what was left of the tears.

"You can change this!" she yelled, but the young man went at her again, this time with more speed and finesse. They fought for a while, Haruka simply deflecting each attack, receiving minor cuts when a second sword appeared in his other hand unexpectedly. She pushed him away again. "Just listen to me…you don't have to do this. Please!" She begged, hoping her voice could reach him in some way, but just like clockwork, he charged at her again.

Haruka closed her eyes, gripping the swords in each hand, listening to his movements. She blocked his attacks with ease, before piercing his chest with one of her swords. She could hear his body disintegrate, and then her swords disappeared. She fell to the ground with her eyes still closed as she began to cry again.

An arm grabbed hers, and she felt herself being teleported out of there. She could see the light behind her closed eyes, and it soothed her to some degree.

"You did what had to be done, Haruka."

Haruka opened her eyes to look up at the woman. "I killed him, Violet. I killed him."

She frowned. "He was no longer one of us. He was a fallen angel-"

"Because of me!" she interrupted, finally standing up. "I let this happen."

When this same thing happened to Caleb, she tried to console him, telling him that none of it was his fault and that he had no other choice. She now understood why her words didn't reach Caleb.

She wasn't sure if anything was going to reach her either.

* * *

"I feel like I haven't seen you in such a long time," she began, offering a small smile. "How are you doing, by the way?"

Caleb shrugged his shoulders. "I'm dealing with everything as best as I can. I still have a lot of jobs to do, and so I'm trying not to let what happened interfere."

There was a silence, and Haruka could see in his face that he didn't really want to talk about anything anymore.

Caleb glanced around, avoiding her eyes for a while. "Violet told me what happened, Haruka." She didn't respond with any words, her face revealing just how she felt about the entire ordeal. "I never wanted you to ever experience something like that."

Two weeks passed since she was forced to kill the young man, and even though the regret and pain were starting to slowly fade, she could still feel her sword pierce through his body. She could see the fear and pain in his eyes when everything was happening. She wasn't sure when she would forget everything, if at all, but she needed to try.

"I guess we can't save everyone, Caleb," she explained, finally looking at him. "I just need to try to move on, so we can figure out what's going on with Yuka, and just everything that's happening in general. I'm going to help you every step of the way."

Caleb smiled. "I hope you know that I appreciate it." There was a short comfortable silence, before he continued. "So, I was able to find out some information of a plot against you, Haruka."

She frowned. "Against me?"

He nodded his head. "When you killed those three fallen angels, it's like everybody noticed for some reason. You were already a hot target because of whoever wants information about me, and that only added fuel to the fire."

She rubbed her neck. "Does this mean more are going to come after me? Or they'll try to capture me again?"

He sighed and shook his head. "They're going to go after Michiru." Haruka didn't say anything, the look on her face one of surprise, and then anger, and then determination. "They want to get to you by hurting who you're protecting. I'm guessing maybe even make some sort of bargain to get information from you. I don't really know."

"I'm not going to let anything happen to her," she said, specks of blue in her eyes.

"I know that, and we actually found out how everything is going to happen, which is why I'm going to allow you to be human again."

She didn't expect his words. "What?" she uttered.

"You've been approved to go back so that you can protect Michiru."

Still unable to fathom what Caleb said, she rubbed her face, and then ran her hands through her hair. She couldn't believe it. She never thought that she would ever be given this privilege, but she was excited about it. The entire reason for it upset her, but she was more than willing to take a human form in order to protect Michiru…in order to really see her. It was surreal, really.

"Fallen angels have the ability to inhabit bodies of those on Earth, and that's exactly what they're going to be doing," Caleb began, gaining Haruka's full attention. He noticed a light in her eyes, a difference in her entire being. It was like she was truly herself again, even after everything she experienced all these years. He knew that seeing Michiru, just being in her presence, was what made her, for lack of a better word, complete. "I'm going to tell you exactly how everything is going to happen, Haruka."

"I'm listening."

* * *

Nothing went as planned.

Caleb described to her how everything was going to pan out, but it was all wrong. A lot of things went according to how he described it, but for the most part, there were differences. The man in the alley who grabbed Michiru, Yuka getting shot, the men on foot, and that stare Yuka gave her…that look meant something, and it gave her chills just thinking about it. These things were wrong and unexpected, but she still did her best to protect Michiru.

When Michiru grabbed her arm, as small as that was, the contact felt amazing. If she was going to be allowed to take on that human form more often, she was excited for more interactions.

But, then she thought of the burn marks on the man who held Michiru hostage. Yuka had the same burns on her face, but she wasn't sure what to think about it.

After leaving the scene, she returned and immediately searched for Caleb, finding him in his office. She quickly walked to his desk, slamming her hands on it in anger.

"You're keeping things from me, Caleb."

He stared at her in surprise. "I understand you're upset, Haruka, but-"

"Upset?" she interrupted, pushing some of his paper off the desk. "You failed to tell me about some of the things that happened, and Michiru could have been seriously hurt!"

He nodded his head, holding out his hands. "I understand you're angry, but you have to believe me when I tell you that I gave you all the information I had about everything. Anything that happened unexpectedly was unknown to me, too."

Haruka frowned, calming down somewhat. "I…I don't understand."

He sighed, standing up. "Somebody is messing with us, Haruka. Somebody is making fools of us for some sort of ulterior motive that I don't know of."

His frustration was evident to her, as well as his honesty. He genuinely had no idea why things turned out the way they did. She sat down on the chair next to her, resting her head in her hands. "We need to find out what's going on, Caleb. I need to protect her."

"I know, and that's why I'm going to allow you to be able to use your human form whenever you want."

Haruka didn't say anything. "How do I explain any of this to her?"

He shook his head. "You don't. You can't. Nothing can be said of anything we do, or anything dealing with being a guardian angel. Whenever you interact with her, you can kiss her, you can hold her, but nothing more, Haruka. Any sort of intimacy is strictly forbidden."

Haruka laughed a little. "I'll be honest, that's going to be difficult for me, but being able to see her is more than enough."

"And you can't talk to Yuka at all," he continued. "If she sees you, then things could turn for the worse."

Haruka was quiet for a while, remembering the burn marks on Yuka's face. She looked up at Caleb. "Her face…" she paused, not really knowing how to explain. Caleb frowned, but stayed quiet so she could continue. "…it was burned. It was scarred and severely burned. I've never seen anything like that before."

The look on Caleb's face surprised her. She stood up, staring at him and motioning her hands for him to say whatever was on his mind. He turned away, walking back to sit down behind his desk. He rubbed his face, groaning and shaking his head.

"You know something," she whispered, curiosity overwhelming her.

He rested his elbows on the desk, his face against his hands as he kept shaking his head. Haruka had never seen him so distraught, as if what she told him was the worst thing he ever heard. He didn't remove his hands. "You're sure about that, Haruka?"

"I'm positive, Caleb."

Caleb slid his hands down his face, resting them on the desk, his eyes staring straight into her green ones. His expression was completely serious.

"Haruka," he began, standing up, "what you're describing is the face of a fallen angel."

* * *

**I hope the chapter wasn't bad. If there was something you didn't like, please, let me know…just nicely. Haha**

**I also wasn't trying to make it violent or anything, but like I mentioned, I wanted the reader to understand just how brutal fallen angels are. If it was too much, then I apologize. **

**The next chapter will pick up where the third one left off, so it will be present time the rest of the story, and it will get really interesting…at least, that's how I see it in my head.**

**Thanks to everyone who read it, and review if you'd like. Take Care! **

**-Nightfall5029**


	8. Change

**I struggled a little bit with this chapter, and I feel that it was difficult to really write what I wanted to say/explain, so I hope that it's not confusing. Other than that, I just hope you enjoy reading it.  
**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything, except for the plot. **

* * *

**The Only Promise You Ever Made**

**Chapter 8-Change**

"What did you say, Caleb?" Haruka muttered in confusion. This was new information to her, and information she wasn't sure was true. She still thought about the possibility that Caleb could be lying to her about certain things, and this could easily be one of them to annoy her.

Caleb didn't respond immediately. He sat back down, rubbing his neck and leaning back in his chair. He sighed. "If what you're saying is correct, Haruka…then Yuka is a fallen angel. There would be no other explanation for a face like that." He paused, noticing her confused expression turn to anger. "When a fallen angel consistently acts on hateful thoughts, killing and hurting guardian angels, then their faces start to decay. Scars and wounds adorn their body and wings, and their face is slowly transforming to look exactly like what their hearts feel."

Haruka shook her head. "I don't understand, Caleb." She really just didn't want to believe it. She had seen the transformation in Daniel, so she knew that it was possible. Yuka being a fallen angel would explain a lot, but it just didn't make sense. How was it possible for her to become human, to deceive so many people without anybody knowing?

"It makes perfect sense, Haruka. We couldn't find anything about her because she is a fallen angel. They have ways of making information disappear and-"

"Your nose is bleeding," Haruka interrupted.

Caleb touched his face, pulling his hand down to notice the blood on his fingers. He wiped the blood away with the back of his hand, a confused expression adorning his face. He stood up, still wiping the blood that kept coming. Haruka just watched, curious as to why such a thing was happening, and not knowing what to think. It was then she noticed a scar beginning to form along his face. It started above his right eyebrow, and ran diagonally down his face to end on the left side of his neck. It was deep, appearing like an old wound that had healed decades ago.

Haruka touched her face, as if hers held the same scar. "What happened to your face?"

Caleb stopped wiping away the blood, holding his sleeve against his nose instead. He looked at Haruka, seeing her touching her face. He brought up his free hand to touch his face, feeling a gash along his face, but there was no pain from the wound. He had no idea where it came from, so when Haruka asked him again, he didn't respond. The bleeding hadn't stopped, so he tilted his head back to hold the bridge of his nose.

"I don't know what's going on, Haruka," he began, sitting back down. "There's something going on here, and I plan on finding out what it is."

Haruka's hands closed into fists, not believing what he said. There was no possible way for Caleb to have such a scar and not know anything about it. "Are you keeping something from me, Caleb?" It could be the only possible explanation. Things were getting crazy for them, and truths were starting to be revealed, but maybe Caleb was still being dishonest about a lot of things. He could have been lying to her so many times before, but only recently was she starting to believe the possibility.

He didn't look at her. "I'm your mentor, Haruka…your friend. I have no reason to keep anything from you unless I feel that it's something you have no right knowing."

"I think I have a right to know everything."

He laughed a little. Haruka didn't like the sound of it. "Not everything."

She frowned. It was true that there were probably things she wasn't going to be told, but with everything going on right now, and the mysterious woman warning her earlier, she wasn't sure what to believe. Having known Caleb for many years, nothing like this had ever happened before. She couldn't think of an explanation, but she felt that it wasn't anything good.

The nosebleed finally stopped, and she noticed the scar begin to disappear, Caleb's face appearing as perfect as before. She felt like he was hiding something from her, and that he honestly knew what caused the sudden scar and nosebleed, but didn't want her to know. He rubbed his nose, breathing in and coughing.

"Your suspicions are misplaced, Haruka," he began, wiping his hand on his pants. He finally looked at her. "You have no reason to ever believe I would lie to you about anything."

"Then what was all of that just now. Where did that scar come from?"

He shrugged his shoulders and sighed. "Your guess is as good as mine right now."

"You're pretty calm about all of this, Caleb," she explained.

An eyebrow went up. "Am I being accused of something here, Haruka? Is there something _you're_ keeping from me?"

Her mouth opened, anger and suspicions begging her to tell him about the woman, but then she would appear insane having believed a fallen angel. She closed her mouth, deciding that now wasn't the time for accusations and questioning, considering the new information about Yuka.

She waved her hand, deciding to forget about it for right now, knowing there were more important things to discuss. But she was going to eventually find out everything, especially concerning Caleb. For now, Yuka was the issue, and her being a fallen angel could pose so many problems for them, and possibly for Michiru's safety.

She sighed to calm her thoughts. "If Yuka is a fallen angel, why did we never find that out sooner? Shouldn't The Corp. have said something about it?"

Caleb didn't answer right away, still rubbing the blood off of his hands, and staring at Haruka curiously. Her face was stoic now-a trait of hers that he knew meant she wasn't telling him everything. She was always able to hide her emotions from him when she wanted to, but he had recently been able to really understand what she was thinking, and she probably didn't even know. He wanted her to say what she had to say, but knew that pushing her would get him nowhere. Even though he could read her now, there was still no way he could force her to talk.

He sighed, and rubbed his eyes. "The Corp. doesn't interfere with matters of the fallen angels, Haruka. It's not their place since these angels don't really go by any set of rules. They are angels who feel that guardians should be destroyed, and go by any means to accomplish that."

"Well, that doesn't make any sense. We go by strict rules, but we're the ones trying to protect people. All they want to do is kill everyone."

"Don't let your anger get the best of you, Haruka," Caleb explained, standing up to lean against his desk with his hands. "We follow rules because, otherwise, so many guardian angels would get out of hand. How many times did you want to hurt Yuka?" He held out his hand, preventing her from defending her actions. "Before we even knew any of this, you wanted to kill her because of jealousy or whatever, and if there wasn't a rule against that, then what makes you any different? Your emotions controlled your actions at times, and if you had acted upon those, you would have been just like them."

Haruka clenched her jaw, knowing that what Caleb explained was true. There were countless times, especially after finding out that Yuka was responsible for her death, that she wanted to get rid of the blonde and solve all of their problems. But, she couldn't, and deep down, if she would have gone through with that, then she would have been exactly like all of the fallen angels filled with hatred. She didn't want to be like any of them. She was a part of the battle for good, not for evil, and without the rules they followed, then the line between them would be blurred and there could only be chaos. She never wanted to be compared to a fallen angel.

"Our rules are set by The Corp., and what they believe has nothing to do with what I believe, or you, but we can't question it, Haruka. That's just how things work. These angels are fallen angels for a reason because they disobeyed some sort of rule, and hatred filled them to the core. What makes you think they'll keep following any rules as fallen angels?"

"Fine," she said, her frustration at the situation not lost on Caleb. There was no reason for her to argue about something that had possibly been set in stone for centuries. "So, Yuka can just become human whenever she wants?"

"Actually, yes. They can use a human form whenever they please, and can even integrate themselves into the body of any human. It makes it very difficult for us to track them."

"Then I guess this entire time she has been a fallen angel."

"I would assume so."

There was a glint in her eyes, and Caleb was quick to notice it before it was gone. "Does this mean I can kill her now?"

He walked around his desk to stand in front of her. "It means you still can't interfere. Even knowing she's a fallen angel, there are still rules we have to follow."

"She killed me, Caleb, and now she's pretending to be a human to be with the woman I love and am protecting. If I'm supposed to protect Michiru, I need to get rid of the one person who can really hurt her. Besides, we now know for sure that she's a fallen angel, she's our enemy…what more do I need to get rid of her?"

He sighed, noticing her anger. "She's been able to fool us this long, Haruka. What makes you think it would be that easy? She probably knows you're Michiru's guardian angel. She's probably setting you up somehow. I mean, you said that nothing went as planned earlier."

Haruka remembered how Yuka stared at her when she was following her and Michiru. It wasn't just a glance at her direction, but it was like she was directly staring at her. Now, everything made sense. Caleb never found anything about Yuka being there when Haruka fought Daniel, and it's because she really wasn't supposed to be. She must have planned for Daniel to try to hurt Michiru so that she could protect her, and eventually get back into her life. Yuka also knew the song Haruka composed because she must have been watching them as a fallen angel. Yuka was clearly up to something, and had been planning this, but it still didn't make any sense.

If she was a fallen angel before becoming human again, how did Michiru not know about her death? She must have died a long time ago, but what caused her to become a fallen angel? Or did she become one upon death? There was also no explanation for what sort of grudge or hatred Yuka held against Haruka. The blonde had never met the woman before, save for the time at her race, and she didn't even know she existed before then. Whatever was going on, went a lot farther into the past than she thought, and she truly felt that Caleb had to know something about it, but was refusing to say. There was no way Yuka could get away with so much for such a long time without somebody knowing about it.

"She planned all of this, Haruka," Caleb said, rubbing his face. "She planned all of this from the beginning, ever since the two of you first met, and probably before that."

"Is there a way to find out why?"

"I haven't been able to find any information on her, and my guys got lucky when they found out she was the reason for your death."

"So, then we can't figure out anything about her before the race?"

He shook his head. "I think it would be a long shot. But, I feel like there's way more to this than we'll ever be able to understand."

She paused, sitting down on the chair again and leaning on her knees. "Tell me how you got that scar, Caleb," she began, staring at him.

He sighed, and walked back to sit in his chair. "I already told you that I don't know. You just have to believe me."

She studied his face, his eyes. There weren't any indication in either his eyes or his body language to indicate that he was lying to her, but she just wasn't sure how that could be possible. How could he have not known about such a major and obviously old injury?

He decided to change the subject. "Look, I know you're angry and worried for Michiru, but I know you're not going to let anything happen to her."

"Never," she assured, standing up to leave.

"Haruka," he called, standing up himself. She turned around to look at him, and frowned when she noticed the scar reappearing across his face. "You can't do anything to Yuka right now. At least, not until we find out what's really going on."

She turned away, heading for the door to his office. She opened it, but paused. "Your nose is bleeding again, Caleb," she said, walking out and then closing the door behind her.

* * *

All of the information Haruka learned was upsetting, and if anything, unexpected. She had a feeling from the start that Yuka was bad news, but this was completely different, and she wasn't sure if she would ever figure out or understand the purpose behind it all. Yuka was a fallen angel, who obviously used a human form when Haruka first met her. The blonde never did read too much into the file on how Yuka orchestrated the entire plan to kill Haruka, knowing that it would only upset her more than she already was that day. But, she couldn't figure out a reason as to why Yuka would ever want to kill her. The plan must have been thought up for a long time, but why would Yuka want her dead?

Haruka also wondered how Yuka had been able to keep up such a charade…how far in advance she must have planned all of this. Was Daniel working with Yuka so that he could render Haruka helpless and give Yuka the opportunity to save Michiru? When Michiru and Yuka first talked after everything, Haruka could feel that whatever relationship they had before did not end on good terms, but Yuka was still so in love. Yuka wanted to get close to Michiru, and maybe getting rid of Haruka was her only way. But, why imitate a human form this entire time? Was she that desperate to be close to Michiru for the sake of being close, or was there something else?

Yuka must have been setting up Haruka from the start, having planned everything out with this vendetta against the blonde being her motivation. Haruka just wasn't sure she would ever be able to figure out what caused such a hatred.

It bothered Haruka—to be hated so much without knowing why. But what bothered her more was that she knew Yuka was messing with her. The physical and even sexual interactions, and the proposal, seemed to only happen when Haruka was close. Yuka also played the song Haruka wrote for Michiru perfectly, and even though Michiru didn't say anything about it, the expression on her face went from surprise to anger fairly quickly. She knew Michiru was uncomfortable with somebody knowing that song, let alone playing it for her. Even though Yuka should have never played that song, the fact was that Michiru still reciprocated the same three words, and that felt worse to Haruka than a nobody knowing her song. Yuka must have either been able to sense or actually see Haruka each time she was there, and was trying to intentionally hurt her.

With all of the new information, Haruka knew that Michiru was in danger now. She had been protecting her all of these years from anything and everything, but now Yuka was her biggest threat and she was so close to Michiru. She could hurt her at any time, but Haruka felt that wasn't going to happen. If she truly wanted to, then she probably would have done it a long time ago. Her hatred for Haruka was far too great to just take the easy road. Yuka didn't want to hurt Michiru in any way. She simply wanted to destroy Haruka.

The blonde clenched her fists, upset that she didn't realize the truth about Yuka sooner. When Caleb kept coming up empty with his research, she should have put the pieces together. She should have been smarter. But now, she wasn't even sure whether she could trust Caleb. The appearance of that scar and his nosebleed, it came out of nowhere, but always came after he said something Haruka didn't entirely believe. Did the fallen angels really know how to get rid of information, or was Caleb simply hiding things, not letting his aids find anything? Were Yuka's intentions still a mystery, or did he already know her plans and her motive? From now on, she felt there were things she wouldn't be able to tell him anymore. Her trust in him was dwindling now, and it hurt her to think the possibility of him being dishonest and evil. She considered him her mentor…her only friend in a world where she felt alone. He gave her so many words of reassurance and comfort, but now she wondered if it was all a façade.

With everything coming to light, Haruka decided that she needed to go after Daniel before things got carried away. Knowing she was a target now, she felt she needed to take care of him before he went after Michiru. She needed to defeat him, to kill him, but she wasn't sure how. He was strong, and surely getting stronger the more he killed and the faster hate consumed his soul. But, there had to be a way, and she was going to figure it out. She needed to defeat him, especially considering the possibility that he could be working for Yuka. He was one of her pawns, and if Haruka took him down, then maybe it could lead to some new information.

Haruka teleported herself to a forest where fallen angels were known to frequent often, assuming that her chance of running into Daniel there was high. She didn't have time to waste, and her patience was thin, so she walked around for a while, being sure to make noise and creating orbs of light all around her so that her position was known in the dark. To her delight, it didn't take long.

"I told you we would meet again, Haruka," she heard, turning around to the voice. She faced him, no emotion present. He grinned. "Are you upset about the other day?" She didn't answer him, instead allowing a sword to form in her right hand. "I'll take that as a yes," he finished, red flames surrounding both of his fists.

"This fight is just between us, Daniel," she demanded. She studied his face, his features worse than the last time she saw him. One of his wings had a tear reaching from top to bottom, and he no longer wore a jacket, just a shirt that was torn and bloody. The skin around his arms was almost completely gone, probably from guardian angels grabbing him, and his knuckles were bloody and scarred. The scars on his neck and face still looked fresh, even though she knew that wasn't true. His eyes seemed endless, the hatred in them stronger than ever. His voice was deeper and every word he spoke was lined with utter evil.

He bowed, his arm resting on his abdomen. "Of course…I wouldn't want it any other way." He stood straight, moving his feet and popping his neck. "You do realize that I won't go easy on you like before."

"I thought for sure you would still be taking orders like the puppet you are, and not be able to harm me," she sneered, grinning at his annoyance.

Haruka wanted to confront Daniel about Yuka, wondering if he was working for her. Was he tasked with preventing Haruka from fully protecting Michiru? Was Yuka the one responsible for ordering Daniel to capture and torture her as she refused to answer any questions about Caleb? Again, Haruka's thoughts went back to Caleb. There had to be something he was hiding from her, something important and possibly life threatening. It made her wonder what side Caleb was really on, but either way, she wasn't going to let his suspicious actions interfere with her promise to protect Michiru. Out of everything that had been happening over the past years, it was the one constant in her life-to protect Michiru without hesitation or question. It wasn't simply because of the promise, but because of the love and connection they still shared, regardless of recent events. Haruka was hurt, yes, but she wouldn't let it change anything or affect her feelings in the slightest. Michiru was her love…her everything, and with those feelings still keeping Haruka strong, she was more than willing to risk her life to protect the one woman who she ever loved and fully gave herself to.

"You think too much, Haruka," Daniel said, the flames growing to almost encompass his entire arm.

Haruka didn't respond, her blue sword pulsing as energy flowed through her body. It had never happened before, but she wasn't going to question the extra strength it provided her; she felt she would need it in this fight.

Daniel disappeared, but Haruka didn't move. She wasn't going to play anymore of his games. For some reason, her skills had increased considerably over the past few days, ever since she killed the guardian angel Daniel turned. It was as if she learned to accept the fact that there was no other possible solution to what happened, and her actions were necessary, but she still acted with hesitation. Her hesitation, pain, and willingness to protect other guardians seemed to make her stronger. She was willing to receive injury, and possibly death, to defend those who fought for the same purpose as hers. She wasn't going to let Daniel ruin anyone else's life anymore. She was going to get rid of him and out of her life, once and for all.

Daniel came from behind her, no battle cry or sound giving him away, but she felt him. His anger and hatred for her easily gave him away...those feelings would only serve to betray him in this fight. She turned around to block his fist with the flat side of her sword, the fire mixing with the blue energy causing sparks of purple to fall around them. Instead of pushing him away, she lowered her sword and reached for him, but he quickly disappeared again. She grunted, frustrated with his instincts to always vanish and use the darkness to his advantage. It was his ally, and if he was smart, he would try to use attacks that kept him at a distance, but he was too prideful. He wanted to pierce a sword through Haruka's chest. He wanted to hear her choking and gasping as his fingers squeezed her neck. It was a satisfaction she knew he wanted, but one she wasn't going to let him have.

Haruka frowned when a feeling around her left hand forced her to look down at it. There was an invisible energy swirling around it. She had felt it before, once after she recovered from her fight with the two fallen angels, but it was quick to go away, and she had completely forgotten about it. Now, it was stronger, the energy flowing around her body, cooling her down. Then, she could see it.

Wind.

It was all around her now. It encompassed her entire body, offering its speed and power to her. She closed her eyes, the sound of the wind allowing her to hear Daniels movements as he rushed around her, as if trying to decide how he should kill her. Her eyes opened and she looked at her hand once again, now able to see the wind flowing around it, almost like a gray smoke, but clearer.

It was her element, come to finally aid her. She had wondered for so long why she had so many different powers, but none of the element she felt comfortable with. There was no way she was going to lose this battle.

There was a battle cry now, loud and close. She almost flinched at the sound as it penetrated her ears. She turned, holding out her hand to face her palm where she knew Daniel was attacking from. Once her eyes caught sight of him, he was thrown back by wind, a more powerful force than she had anticipated. She could hear the trees breaking as his body seemed to tear through an endless amount. She sprinted after him, her feet lighter than before, her body moving through the forest with such ease and grace. She caught up to him quickly, stopping ahead of him to hold her sword out. The sword went through his body, the impact making her skid, but she held her ground.

Daniel yelled out, the blue energy from the sword slowly creeping along his upper body and down his arms to his hands trying to control the red flames, but they wouldn't dissipate. His fists met, a red energy shooting up into the sky, spinning and growing. It covered their bodies, and Haruka let go of her sword, allowing Daniel to fall to the floor. She shielded her eyes, the brightness too much to handle. She backed away, trying to distance herself from the light, but it kept growing, reaching around the forest, seemingly endless.

Haruka couldn't use her eyes, deciding to solely rely on her ears in the fight. She shut them, the brightness not unnoticed behind her eyelids. She could feel the wind around both her hands now, and she pointed her palms to the ground. The wind went all around her, retreating into the skies above her, thunder heard in the distance. It wasn't long before the rain fell.

The rain slowly came down from the sky at first, before pouring down relentlessly, making Haruka retract her wings having become useless in the element. The wind increased, bending the trees and blowing everything else. She kept still, the force not troubling her in the least. Even with her eyes still closed, she could feel the wind shift, the change causing her to grin. She felt it twisting itself in the sky while expanding to form tornadoes. They touched the ground around her, the sound of them turning and moving across the ground was a soft melody in her ears. They stayed close to her, offering her a protection that she knew Daniel wouldn't be able to penetrate.

Even with the wind being so erratic, she could still hear Daniel, and was surprised that his speed had increased. It was probably his way of evading the unpredictable tornadoes, but she could tell that even with his speed, he wouldn't be fast enough to attack her. He tried to get close to her, but the tornadoes were too large, too fast and too erratic. He would need to resort to a long range attack that she would most surely be able to defend herself against.

An energy sword appeared in Haruka's hand, and she quickly brought it up to deflect the daggers being thrown at her. She staggered a little bit when he tried to use his own energy, but it wasn't powerful enough with the tornadoes diminishing its affect before they reached her. Any sort of energy he tried to throw at her was partially absorbed by the tornadoes.

As fast as his attacks had been, and as quick as his movements were, it all stopped. She couldn't sense him anymore. She couldn't hear his movements or feel his anger. She wondered if maybe he had given up, but he wasn't one to be branded a failure. The fight wouldn't end so quickly or easily, and she knew how stubborn he was…how much he hated her. Aside from that truth, the red light was still present and preventing her from opening her eyes, so she knew he hadn't left. She controlled the tornadoes, moving them around at a faster rate, spreading them away from her to cover more of the vicinity. It was then she felt him, but she wasn't sure how to react.

A hand grabbed her ankle, and she cursed. She had failed to realize the possibility that he could retreat underground. She tried to take a step away, but the grip was strong, and Daniel pulled her under. Before her entire body went underground, she resisted, pushing up with her arms. The hold on her was gone, but as much as she tried to push herself to get out of the ground, it was useless. She opened her eyes, not caring about the pain that the brightness caused. Daniel appeared in front of her, and the tornadoes were quick to advance to where they were. The wind pulled him away from her, so he knelt down and then stabbed his sword into the ground to stay close to her.

"You've grown considerably stronger, Haruka," he began, one of his black eyes turning red. "I'm actually impressed that you found your element…" The grin on his face was one of ridicule and sarcasm. She knew he couldn't care less about her abilities. As long as he was still stronger and smarter in some way, then he was satisfied with the reality that he could beat her. "We all have one, you know, but it usually takes decades for it to be realized."

Haruka didn't respond. The tornadoes closed in on them, forcing Daniel to growl in frustration and retreat from her trapped body. She forced a tornado to surround her, hoping the wind would be strong enough and force the ground to crumble, or simply pull her body out of the ground. The former happened, and she was easily able to break free, before the tornado moved away to surround her once again.

Daniel appeared in front of her, and she blocked his sword. "Your tornadoes are clever." He disappeared from his spot, appearing behind her. She dodged his fists with ease. "They keep me on the move, keep me from getting close to you, but I think I finally found a way to use them to my advantage."

He appeared a good distance from her. The flames around his hands were back, even stronger and brighter than before. "A lot of the angels use fire, but my power and control over it has increased tremendously." The fire shot up his arms, and was persistent even with the rain beating down on them. The red light that seemed to surround them went away. Haruka blinked a few times, rubbing her eyes to dispel the slight discomfort that still remained.

He created fireballs, throwing them at her as he controlled their direction in order to avoid the tornadoes. He kept moving, vanishing only to reappear where the tornadoes had once been. Haruka used wind to control the path of the fireballs, either making it miss her or forcing it to attack its owner when she was able to determine his next appearance. He kept moving, randomly making himself visible and she wasn't able to predict any of it. She growled, the wind whirling itself around her in frustration. She could sense where he was, but never where he was going to stop.

Daniel wasn't making any progress, frustrated with how much control she had over the wind and the capabilities it gave her to stay alive. He stopped, deciding he needed to get rid of the tornadoes in order to get close to Haruka. He aimed his fireballs at them, the fire spreading quickly, expanding even with the rain. Haruka was no longer able to control them, his element being much stronger than hers, overpowering what she was once able to manipulate and turning it against her. They all went after her, the heat reaching her before the actual flames did. She evaded them easily, but she only had so much room as the flames expanded. She needed to take the offensive and get rid of him soon.

Haruka ran at him, eager to wipe the grin off his ugly and decayed face. His arms were still engulfed in flames, and Haruka knew the fight would be painful for her, but she didn't care. She knew she was faster, smarter…and that was all she felt she needed to win.

It proved more difficult than she initially thought to stay close to him, as the heat seemed to drain her energy. Her body and wings were being burned by him, but that was pain she could deal with. The heat from the tornadoes that surrounded him was draining her energy, and she couldn't understand why. The rain kept falling, easing some of the pain from the burns, and causing Daniel's movements to be sloppy, but it wasn't enough. If she didn't get rid of him fast, then she would surely lose, and that outcome was not an option for her.

Haruka kept on fighting, even when her body protested for her to retreat from the heat. The burns on her skin and wings ached and made her movements slow. Daniel didn't seem to be slowing down, regardless of the punches and kicks that connected. Before she could get in another punch, he disappeared, and the tornadoes quickly closed in on her. She wasn't going to lose.

Her eyes turned gold, the wind picking up around her. A cyclone of wind formed around her body, closing to create an orb before the wind blew away from her body, the tornados being blown away and slowly dissipating. Before she could get rid of all of them, Daniel came from underground again, grabbing her body and throwing her to the ground. It was unexpected, and so her attempt to get rid of all the tornadoes ceased, as a few started to gain on their prone bodies.

Haruka flipped them over, her hands reaching for his neck as she squeezed, burning through his skin. Daniel's body ignited, throwing Haruka away and onto her back. He coughed, wiping away the blood from his mouth and neck, growling at the now exposed muscles in his neck. Before Haruka could recover, a dagger appeared in his hand. He ran to her and then buried the dagger into her chest, reveling in the sound of her screams and the feel of her flesh unsuccessfully resisting.

"I think that it's best we end this battle, Haruka," he recommended, standing over her as another dagger appeared in his hand. Her body burned from the flames, and the pain in her chest was overwhelming. She stared at him, noticing the dagger was the same that he used on the guardian to turn him evil.

There was no way it was going to end like this.

Suddenly, the tornadoes disappeared, and the rain stopped. Daniel took a step back, looking around him in confusion and curiosity. Orbs appeared around them, and Daniel took cautious steps away from Haruka, deciding to hide himself in the darkness for now.

Haruka stood up slowly, the dagger protruding from her chest as blood escaped the wound and she coughed up more from her mouth. She fell to her knees, shutting her eyes as she tried to endure the pain. She smelled rather than saw the woman in front of her. A hand rested on her shoulder, and another against her waist.

"You need to let me take care of this, Haruka," she heard, a mix of concern and authority in the words.

She coughed some more, shaking her head. "He's my problem. I need to be the one to get rid of him." She grabbed the dagger, deciding to pull it out. The hand left her shoulder, and quickly grabbed her wrist to pull her hand away.

"That wouldn't be wise. The wound is too severe, and it's exactly what he wants you to do. You'll bleed to death faster than I would be able to help you."

"Then I'll fight him with it still in my chest. Either way, I'm going to finish this." Haruka pushed the girl away, her strength too weak to even perform the action, but the girl moved away on her own. Haruka took a breath, grunting as she forced her body to comply and stand up. She wasn't going to give up. She wasn't going to be weak.

The girl stared at Haruka, amazed at her perseverance, but she knew it was futile. "Please, don't be like this, Haruka. Don't be rash…that wound could kill you."

"If it does," she began, stumbling a little before regaining her balance, "it'll be after he's already dead."

The girl stood up, holding Haruka's shoulders to support her. "If you die, you won't be able to see Michiru anymore. Please, let me help and take care of Daniel for you."

Haruka clenched her jaw, resolute on fighting Daniel, even if she didn't stand a chance. But, as much as her mind kept persuading her to continue, instilling confidence and support, her heart had had enough. Her breathing was slow, labored now, and she fell into the girl. She didn't want to appear weak, as if she couldn't even handle one fallen angel, and the girl must have noticed her disappointment.

"He's a lot stronger than he lets on, Haruka. I don't think you stood a chance, but you gave it your all, and that's more than could be asked of you."

The girl helped her to the floor, lying her down carefully, and it was then Haruka finally looked at her face. It was those same blue eyes.

"This is the third time you've helped me," she mumbled, ashamed at her helplessness.

"You seem to be needing it a lot," she said jokingly, no criticism present.

"I don't want you to fight him alone, Violet."

"I'll be fine. I promise. Besides…"

Haruka stared at her, noticing the sadness in her eyes, and recognizing that it wasn't because of her current state, but something else. She didn't know what to think of it.

Violet stood up, not turning around to face Daniel.

"You do realize that you have interfered in a fight to the death?" Daniel began, appearing out of the shadows. "I will not hesitate to kill you," he finished, stopping a good distance away.

Violet stayed still, one hand closing into a fist while the other rubbed her eyes. Haruka noticed the sadness get stronger, and she felt it emulate from her body. There was something terribly wrong here. She again tried to get up, finally realizing the other feelings that accompanied the sadness and the pain, and she knew that she couldn't let Violet fight. Violet was quick to softly push Haruka back down, a soft smile on her lips.

"I know what I'm doing, Haruka," she whispered.

Violet turned around then to face Daniel, and he froze.

Surprise.

He took a few cautious steps closer to Violet, the look on his face speaking louder than the words he couldn't seem to utter as his mouth opened and closed countless times.

Anger.

It was evident in his body language, but Haruka could feel the anger being forcefully pushed aside to allow room for an emotion much stronger.

Love.

Haruka felt it then, from both of them. It was stronger within Violet, having never left her heart, but it was slowly radiating from Daniel.

He reached out his hand. "Violet," he whispered. He took another step closer. "Violet," he said again, too afraid to say anything else, and hoping she would respond to her name so he could be sure it was really her.

She nodded her head. "It's been a long, long time, Daniel," she said, a hint of regret in her voice.

"I didn't know…you're…"

"A guardian angel," she finished for him. She tilted her head. "Did you expect anything else?"

He shook his head. "I didn't mean it like that."

Haruka watched the emotions play across his face, the fear and the regret and so much love. She finally put it together, knowing that Violet must be the woman he was protecting when he was a guardian angel. She was the one Haruka almost accidentally killed.

Violet stared at Daniel, frowning as she took in his appearance. "You look…different," she said, the sadness so clear in her voice.

Daniel touched his face, the presence of decayed skin and tissue not new to him, but now he was embarrassed. He didn't want Violet to ever see him in such a state. He looked up at some of the orbs of light near him, and made a few go out, so that he was partially in the dark. He was too ashamed of himself, and didn't want her to see what he had become.

"What happened to you, Daniel?"

He didn't answer for a while. "I…I tried to protect you…" He stopped, looking over at Haruka.

Even without the light providing a clear look at his face, Violet saw him staring at Haruka, and she could feel the hatred break through the love he had only seconds before. "It wasn't her fault, Daniel…you did this to yourself."

He took a few steps forward, allowing Violet to completely see him again. "Why would I want something like this to happen to me?"

She tilted her head. "You tell me."

He clenched his jaw and fists. "I'm sorry, Violet," he began, looking at her with such regret. "I have to kill her."

She took a step forward, her wings spreading open. "I can't let you do that."

The fear and desperation was evident in his eyes, but Violet ignored it, keeping her stance and standing by her decision. He shut his eyes, the hurt written all over his face and evident in his body. "I have no choice but to kill you then," he confessed, a red sword appearing in his hand. His posture straightened as his eyes opened and he stared at her.

A green energy sword was in Violet's hand. "I understand," she answered resolutely, but Haruka could hear the regret…she could feel the pain and sadness. It was vibrating off of her in waves, making the pain in her chest seem like nothing compared to what the other guardian was currently feeling.

Daniel hesitated, the look on his face begging Violet to step aside, to leave and allow him to finish what he wanted with Haruka, but the woman only took a step forward, gripping the sword tighter. Haruka felt the regret within Daniel, and the determination within Violet. This woman was willing to sacrifice her life, but Haruka felt she couldn't let her do that. She, after all, was responsible for Daniel turning into what he was now. Haruka had almost accidentally killed her, and now here she was, defending her without question or hesitation. It wasn't what she wanted. It wasn't anything she could ask for.

Haruka scooted along the ground, scrunching her face in pain as she put pressure against her chest with her other hand. She turned onto her stomach when she was close enough to Violet, resting her body on her knees so that the dagger wasn't disturbed by the ground. She grabbed the other woman's leg, her grip as tight as it could be in such a weakened state.

Violet looked down at her, confused. "You don't have to do this, Violet. This is my fight. He only wants me."

Violet softly smiled, understanding in her face, but resolution in her eyes. Haruka could see it…this woman was not going to back down. She didn't need to even say anything. The blonde sighed, and let go, rolling onto her back and sliding away towards a tree. She rested herself against the trunk, trying to sit as comfortable as possible, since the dagger still caused her more pain than she let on.

Haruka heard rather than saw the fight begin, the sound of swords clashing and slicing through the wind. She observed them, amazed at how quick they both were, but she knew Daniel was holding back. She could easily see it in his movements. He had countless opportunities to injure or even kill Violet, but he was always too slow or appeared to miscalculate his movements.

Finally, he had pinned Violet to the ground, her sword having been hit out of her hand. Haruka straightened her body, noticing the look in his eyes was what he had been giving her when they fought earlier. It was like he was back to his normal, evil self, and that scared her. She didn't want anything to happen to Violet, but the woman was calm considering her predicament. It was like she either knew Daniel wouldn't do it, or she was ready to die for protecting another guardian angel.

Then, Haruka saw it.

It was small, and quick, but she was certain she saw it. There was a small speck of blue in his eyes, greatly contrasting with the black and red of each eye. Violet must have noticed it, too. She pushed Daniel away, rising to her feet and grabbing her sword in her hand again. He simply stood there, a look on his face that Haruka couldn't attribute any emotion to.

He breathed hard, throwing his sword to the ground. "I can't do it, Violet," he confessed, shaking his head. "You know I can't hurt you." He fell to his knees, his hands supporting his upper body. "I still love you so much…"

Violet lowered her sword, but did not drop it. "I'm going to take Haruka out of here, Daniel."

He was quick to rise to his feet. "That's it? That's all you have to say to me?"

Her sword disappeared. "You're not the same. You're not the man I fell in love with." The words left her hesitantly, Violet upset at what she was forced to admit, but it was true. Daniel was not the same man, and the years have only strengthened the hatred in him…his heart was no longer hers to have. It belonged to an evil she was sure she wouldn't be able to break him free from. "We are enemies, Daniel, and that's something I can't change, and you have to accept."

"What if I don't want to be like this anymore," he said, almost pleading with her to do something about it. The desperation was something he never gave in to, but it couldn't be helped. Seeing Violet changed him, hearing her voice stirred something within him that he hadn't felt in years. "I…I want to be with you. I don't want to hurt anybody anymore."

Violet frowned at his words, knowing that his confession was not an easy one, but that it was all futile. She couldn't help him; he was too far gone. She shook her head. "It's not that easy, Daniel. You chose this path, and you can't just turn it around like nothing ever happened. You've done too much…you've killed too many," she explained sadly.

Daniel walked closer to her, but stopped when three fallen angels suddenly appeared in front of him, blocking his path. He stared at them, into their black eyes, wondering why they were intruding on his fight.

"I think you've done enough, Daniel," the first one said, a red flame engulfing his hands.

Daniel stared at them, recognizing their faces. "You don't need to be here, Adam. I'm handling the situation."

The second one stepped forward, a red energy sword in his hand. "By sparing her life? That is not what we do, Daniel. You are not representing who we are, and for that, we will finish what you seem not to be able to."

Daniel walked up to the second man. "You can't be serious, Ethan. You're not supposed to interfere with my own battles."

Ethan gave an annoyed look. "This stopped being your battle when you threw down your sword," he clarified, walking to pick up the discarded weapon. He gripped it tightly, frowning at the blue specks falling off the red energy sword. He didn't say anything about it, flipping it around in his hand and offering the hilt of the sword to its owner. "Take the sword, and swear to me that you'll finish your business here, and we'll be more than happy to leave," he explained with a look of indifference.

Daniel stared down at the sword, clenching and unclenching his fist. He could easily take the sword and finish what he started, what he was meant to do as a fallen angel, but something changed within him, and the desire to kill was no longer strong. It was replaced by confusion and regret, and the idea of killing guardian angels was something he no longer wanted to pursue. He didn't want Violet to view him as a fallen angel, as an evil person.

Ethan dropped the sword to the ground. "Your hesitation is enough of an answer, Daniel."

Daniel looked over to the third fallen angel. He shook his head. "You can't do this, Jacob."

"We don't have a choice, Daniel. We are fallen angels, and nothing more. We do not debate on whether to kill a guardian or not…we simply act upon it because it's simply what we do."

Daniel looked at Violet now, her face void of any emotion. There was no sympathy, there was no confusion, and there was no anger. She just stood there, observing and listening. But, she was there, and she was a guardian angel, and that fact was more than he needed to realize that he couldn't kill her. She was the woman he loved, still did, and the thought of killing her was something he couldn't go through.

He picked up the sword, turning it in his hand. He scoffed, shaking his head and laughing a little. Without any words, he charged at Adam, knowing that killing them was his only chance at saving Violet. Even as a fallen angel, he was going to uphold the oath he took to protect her long ago because it was a promise he made to her that he knew he would never break.

Adam was quick to be on the defensive and counterattack, but Daniel was a lot faster than he anticipated. Daniel was able to cut him with his sword a few times, earning some angry looks and grunts of pain. Adam disappeared as Daniel was about to stab him with his sword, and without hesitation, he went after Ethan. Ethan stared at his charging form in amusement, a small smile on his lips. His expression bothered Daniel, but he didn't falter. He needed to attack first, to get the fight over with and not allow the three fallen angels any chance to kill him or Violet. Ethan easily dodged the attack, simply stepping to the side, but quickly brought his right arm forward, punching Daniel in the chest, a black electrical energy coursing from his fist to surround Daniel's body.

Daniel grunted in pain, dropping his sword as his body flew back into the trees. He landed a few yards away, sliding to a stop in the dirt and writhing in pain as the black energy still coursed through his body. Ethan was instantly next to him. He bent down, touching Daniel's chest as he recited a spell. Severe pain coursed through Daniel's body, before he went unconscious. Ethan stood then, grabbing Daniel by the collar of his shirt, and dragging him to where the other two fallen angels were. He stopped in front of Violet, letting Daniel's body drop in front of her, still motionless. He looked at her, an amused smile still on his lips.

"I'm actually surprised about all of this," he confessed, stuffing a hand in his pocket. He shrugged his shoulders. "I guess it's expected though, considering who you are to him."

Adam walked to stand next to Ethan. "I would suggest you prepare for a battle you're probably going to lose…" He glanced at Haruka. "Your life will end because you refused Daniel the satisfaction of killing her." He tilted his head. "Any chance you could explain?"

Violet looked at Haruka, noticing that her energy was waning faster than she had anticipated. She turned back to the fallen angels, her eyes and face void of any emotion. "I have no need to explain anything to you...you wouldn't be able to understand something so simple."

Adam grinned. "I guess you're right. Your way of thinking and acting is beneath us, really."

Violet didn't respond, knowing he was simply trying to upset her. She turned her head again, looking back at Haruka who was still sitting against the tree, but she could hear her breathing becoming slower and shallow. She was becoming weaker, and needed to be taken care of soon before she got worse. It was only a matter of time before her eyes closed for good, but Violet wasn't going to let that happen.

"You'll need to kill us fast if you want to save her," he said, motioning his head to Haruka.

Violet's sword reappeared, and tightening her grip, she brought it in front of her as she took on a defensive stance. She knew she couldn't make the first move, because she hadn't really seen them fight enough to know if they worked together or alone. If it was the former, then she was going to be fighting a losing battle, but that didn't mean she was going to simply give up and not try.

Another sword appeared in her other hand. "If you really want to die, then I guess I don't have a choice but to oblige."

Ethan and Jacob immediately disappeared, as Adam ran at her, the energy around his fists growing. She dodged his first punch, bringing her sword to his stomach at a speed much faster than she thought she was capable of. It grazed his stomach, leaving a scar, but nothing serious. He jumped back, slamming his fist into the ground and causing an earthquake. Violet stumbled, but was still able to block his oncoming assault of punches. Eventually, the ground started to crack under her and she backpedaled, falling to the ground but rolling to the side as his foot tried to slam against her chest. She faced her palm towards his face, a white light emitting from her hand and blinding him. She was quick to get up, ready to stab her sword into his chest, but was blown back by a force and slammed into a tree. Her body broke through it, and she landed on the ground in pain. She swallowed the blood in her mouth, cringing at the taste.

She heard rather than saw the angel above her, diving down to attack her. She quickly got to her feet before she swiped her sword in the air in his direction, the energy from it moving towards him in a horizontal line. He dodged it, rotating his body and landing on his feet. Not wasting any time, he ran at her, electricity seeming to surround his fist. She blocked his punch, but the energy was too strong and she was thrown back, landing and rolling on the ground before being stopped and grabbed.

Hands went to her throat, crushing her airwaves as she choked. "This was much too easy," Ethan said, tightening his grip.

Violet grabbed his wrists, burning through them quickly, before pushing against his face. His already burnt and decayed skin melted away even more, but he didn't relent on his hold. She closed her eyes, deciding that this was it for her, and what fate had decided. She tried, and even though she knew she was going to die, and probably Haruka, at least she was going to go out trying to protect somebody.

Suddenly, the grip loosened, and she opened her eyes, widening them at the sight of a dagger protruding through Ethan's chest. He disintegrated, and she was met with Daniel standing over her body. The ground shook, as a high pitched noise pierced her ears and she noticed the red energy advancing towards them, but she kept her eyes on Daniel. They were blue now, back to their normal color. Even though his face was the same with the scars and seeming as if it had been decaying over time, his eyes were just the way she remembered them.

He covered her body with his, the energy rushing over their bodies as it cut him around his body. He held out his arm, his open palm facing to where Haruka sat unconscious against the tree. A green energy left his hand and quickly went to her, wrapping her body in a protective shield against the energy that would have killed her otherwise. When it was gone, he lifted up his body off of Violet, but didn't say anything. His clothes were torn, and she could see the cuts along his body and wings, and she knew he must have been in pain, but his eyes showed no indication.

She opened her mouth to speak, but her words retreated when Daniel was tackled from the side. Adam was on top of him, relentlessly punching him as the red energy around his fists burned Daniel's skin. Violet quickly got to her feet, running towards them, but was grabbed by Jacob and slammed to the ground. She coughed, upset at herself for having forgotten about the third fallen angel. Jacob brought down his fist, a black energy around it, and she knew that if that energy touched her body at all, then she would be severely injured, and he would drain her powers. She brought her wings together, protecting her body as his fist collided with them, and he was blown back from the impact.

She sat up, a dagger appearing in her hand before she threw it towards Adam. It lodged into his back, in between his wings, and he grunted in pain before disappearing. She ran to Daniel, dropping to his side and gasping at the blood almost completely covering his face. Before she could help him, she was grabbed and thrown away from him, landing near Haruka's still unconscious body.

She stood up, another sword in her hand and a dagger in the other. Adam and Jacob appeared in front of her, theirs fists still engulfed with red and black flames respectively. Adam she could handle, but she was afraid of Jacob. His flame…it was different and much stronger. If he was able to get close enough, then he could seriously hurt her.

"You can end this…we'll allow you to leave," Adam started, taking a step forward.

"The only way this will end is if y'all die," she answered.

Adam grinned, amused at her perseverance. He had never seen a guardian angel so determined before. He shrugged his shoulders, and motioned to Haruka. "She's already too far gone for you to save, and Daniel will probably bleed to death."

Violet gripped her weapons tighter, trying not to seem afraid or intimidated, but she was. She had never fought such strong fallen angels before, and she wasn't sure what to expect. Her eyes looked behind them when she caught movement.

Adam turned around, frowning at Daniel stumbling towards them. "He's resilient, I'll give him that," he said, fully turning. He held out his hand, waiting until Daniel was closer, before an energy left his hand and surrounded Daniel's body. Daniel froze, the spell forcing him to drop to his knees. It was a paralysis spell, and he knew there was no breaking it. He looked up at Adam, the hatred evident in his blue eyes. "I won't allow you to interfere anymore, Daniel."

Violet didn't expect the attack from Adam, but she was quick enough to move so she only received a gash rather than a serious wound. She fought Adam, trying to keep up and deflect his punches, as well as the attacks from a sword that would randomly appear in his hand.

Jacob went at her now, and she wasn't sure if she would be able to keep up. Her body was getting tired, and her wings were getting burnt from using them to protect herself. But she kept up, defending herself against both of them. She knew, though, that if she didn't counterattack, then she would surely lose.

Violet jumped back, looking up into the sky as the clouds grew darker, and it started to rain. The wind picked up, blowing the trees and her wings. She saw it then…the tornadoes forming to then crash into the ground. She turned, noticing Haruka was awake, and there was a glow around her…an aura she attributed to her stubbornness of not wanting to give up, of wanting to protect. She didn't know how she summoned the energy to create the tornadoes, but she was grateful, knowing that it would slow down the attacks of the fallen angels.

It didn't.

They were still much faster than her, even while trying to dodge the tornadoes. She figured the wind would cause a decline in their speed, but it didn't bother them.

"Daniel," Haruka yelled, her strained voice barely reaching him, "…you need to take this dagger out of me! Give me my strength back so I can help her!"

He shook his head. "I can't…not while I'm under this spell." He gritted his teeth, eyes glued to the fighting as he tried to come up with a way to help Violet…to keep her safe like he promised. His mind was blank.

Haruka clenched her teeth, slamming the back of her head into the tree. "I need to do something," she muttered. She looked down at the dagger, contemplating whether to take it out or leave it in like Violet had told her. She grabbed it, pulling slightly, but stopped at the pain from the small action.

She looked up, hearing the laugh from the fallen angels. Her hands were fists now, as one of them held Violet, a dagger pressed against her neck that would kill her.

"Look at her, Daniel…," Adam started, tightening his grip around Violet.

Daniel stared into her eyes, the tears falling down her face, but he didn't see any fear. All he saw was regret, and so much love for him. He turned away, knowing he was not worthy of it anymore, knowing that everything happening was his entire fault. She whispered his name, so softly, so endearingly, and he heard it. He heard the meaning behind it, he felt the love in those two syllables, and it affected him.

It changed him.

He went berserk, and a white energy radiated from his body, causing the tornadoes to cease and the rain to stop. The paralysis spell was easily broken, and he disappeared, quickly appearing behind a stunned Adam, and pulled him away from Violet. He grabbed the hand that held the dagger and ran it along Adams neck, the flesh cutting easily and he disintegrated.

Daniel turned his attention towards Jacob, knowing he was going to be much more difficult to defeat, but he felt ready. It was like a new energy was flowing through him, and the strength was more than he imagined.

Haruka stared at the two men fighting, amazed at the speed and strength Daniel now possessed. He started to change, right in front of her eyes. His wings flickered, changing from black to white, before becoming completely white. His face started to heal, albeit slowly, but the scars disappeared, and he looked exactly the way he did when she first met him. It was unbelievable. She had never seen anything like it, thinking it was impossible for a fallen angel to transition back to looking like they did when they were a guardian. But, here he was, his clothes white instead of black, and an energy around him that did not give off an evil aura. It was simply amazing.

Haruka looked down at the dagger, noticing it slowly disappearing, and she felt the wound closing. She took a deep breath, running her fingers over the wound to feel no pain. She put her fingers through the tear in her shirt, rubbing her chest against a scar she figured was from the dagger, but there was no discomfort.

She stood up, running over to where Violet lay on the floor. "Are you okay?" she asked, crouching down next to her.

She didn't look at Haruka. "You have to help him," she pleaded. Violet was too weak to offer any aid, but she hoped that Haruka would hear the desperation in her voice.

Haruka turned her attention back to the fight, noticing that even though Daniel was injuring the fallen angel, he was receiving much worse wounds. "I don't think he would want my help."

Jacob disintegrated, having finally lost the battle, but Daniel immediately fell to the ground. Violet got up, running to his fallen body before dropping to her knees once at his side. She cradled his head in her lap, her arms wrapped around his neck as she took in the wounds on his body. They were too great for any sort of medicine or powers to heal, and he was slowly dying.

"I don't understand," she whispered, bending down to kiss his forehead.

He looked up at her, his breaths slow and shallow. He faintly smiled, bringing up his arm to rest on hers. "I promised to protect you, and even though I broke it," he paused, coughing up blood and grunting at the pain in his chest. He took a breath, opening his eyes to look back into hers. "I wanted to make up for it…to show you I still love you and want to keep you safe."

Haruka stood behind Violet, frowning at the pain she felt radiating off of the woman. She didn't know what to do or if there was anything she could say.

Her head shot up when she felt it. One by one, fallen angels were appearing around them, crashing onto the ground with their black wings spread open and their black eyes staring at her. She looked around her, obviously outnumbered, but she wasn't going to let anything happen to Violet. The woman was crying now, and Haruka wasn't able to feel Daniels energy anymore. She glanced down, noticing that his body was slowly disintegrating. She frowned, before looking back up at the fallen angels that surrounded them. One took a few steps forward, and Haruka focused her attention on him. A sword appeared in one hand, while wind encompassed her other.

"You're foolish to think you could defeat us," the man said, electricity surrounding both of his hands.

Her stance did not falter, and her voice did not waiver. "You're foolish to think that I won't try," she answered, the wind now circulating around her entire body.

The man frowned, having not seen anything like it before. What he felt from the woman was different, but it was unimportant to him. Three of his best fallen angels were dead, and he just wanted to kill the guardians behind such an upset. He took another step forward, realization hitting him.

"You're the one who killed James and Alexander."

Haruka stood there, remembering when Caleb told her that when she killed those two fallen angels, that she was a target now. "I am, and it would be in your best interest to leave, unless you want the same fate."

The man smiled, amused, but not afraid. "You're severely outnumbered, and that girl on the floor will be of no help to you. Her resolve to fight is quickly diminishing."

Haruka looked down at Violet, who was still on her knees, her hands resting on her lap and her head downcast. She could feel the intense sadness and regret, and knew that she was in no condition to keep on fighting after what just happened. She moved to stand in front of her, facing the man fully now. "I'll fight every single one of you, and protect her at the same time if I have to," she gave, thunder sounding in the distance.

The fallen angel looked up when rain began to fall. "You are making a big mistake," he began, looking back at Haruka. "But, then again, all guardian angels have been known to be foolish."

Before Haruka could charge him, guardian angels began landing on the ground, circling around Haruka to protect her and Violet. Caleb landed right in front of her, a sword drawn that she had never seen before. It was gold, with a silver hilt and shone like nothing else. All of the guardian angels around her either had swords as well, or energy around both of their hands.

Caleb stepped toward the man. "I haven't seen you in a long time, Elijah. I, for sure, thought you had had enough of losing and almost dying countless times."

Elijah clenched his jaw. "Are you here to protect her? Are you her mentor?"

"I don't have to answer anything you ask. But, if you don't leave, I'll be sure to give you a death you would have never imagined."

Haruka blinked, having never heard Caleb talk like that before. He was a completely different person in battle, she assumed, but it was probably necessary. No pleasantries were ever welcome in a fight.

"Haruka," Caleb started, turning his head to the side, "…you need to take Violet out of here."

She nodded her head. "I'll come back after that and-"

"You'll do no such thing," he interrupted. "This is not your fight anymore."

Elijah moved closer. "There is too much talking going on here, Caleb. I'm pretty sure we came to fight, and you and your angels came to die."

Caleb turned to Elijah, his sword glowing brighter. Elijah squinted his eyes. "We won't go easy on you like before."

Elijah grinned. "I wouldn't want our fight to the death to go any other way," he explained, before disappearing.

Caleb was quick to vanish, and it wasn't long before all of the fallen angels disappeared, as guardians began to move, creating orbs of light. The fighting began, and Haruka ignored it, as difficult as it was. She bent down next to Violet, who still hadn't moved.

"I'm going to take you out of here, Violet," she explained, grasping her arm. Violet pulled her arm away, and then pushed Haruka.

"You could have helped him, Haruka," she began, standing up.

Haruka stood up, confused and astonished at what her words insinuated. "There was nothing I could have done. Even if I did offer my help, he wouldn't have wanted it. We both know that." She reached again for her arm, but was too slow.

Violet shook her head. "We could have helped him. He wasn't evil anymore." The tears fell silently. She wiped them away. "I…I can't help but feel guilty for his death."

The fighting was getting worse, death surrounding where they stood. Haruka sighed, clenching her fists as her nails dug into her palm. They needed to teleport out of that area before anything happened, but she knew Violet was not in the right mindset to really listen to her.

A sword appeared in Haruka's hand, having heard the fallen angel making its way to attack Violet. She was quick, moving to stand behind Violet and block the attack. She didn't expect the other fallen angel who appeared right beside her, slashing his sword across her chest. She grunted, clenching her jaw, but she refused to scream. She pushed the first attacker away, before punching the second angel in the chest, sending him flying back from the energy that went into him.

Haruka fell, using her sword for support. Violet was next to her now, finally having gotten out of her daze. She checked Haruka's wound, frowning at how unfamiliar it was. It wasn't bleeding, but it was deep, and she knew that it wasn't good.

"I'm going to teleport us back, Haruka," she began, grabbing her arm. "Once we get there, you're going to immediately be in human form, and you'll need to hide for a while so this wound can heal properly."

Haruka shook her head. "It's nothing, Violet. It's just a scratch." She pressed her hand against it, before moving it to wipe away the blood that was running out of her mouth. Violets eyes were more than she could handle, so she looked away.

"It's much worse than you think, Haruka. I can't heal this wound, and nobody else will be able to. That blade the fallen angel used is a rare one, and it will kill you in a slow and painful manner."

"I'm not afraid to die," she explained.

Violet shook her head. "I won't let that happen, Haruka. I promise I'll watch over you while you're in your human form."

Violet grabbed the blondes arm and teleported them out of there. When Haruka opened her eyes, she realized she was human again, lying in a backyard she was all too familiar with. She slowly got up, pressing her arm against her chest as it finally started to bleed. She stumbled across the yard to the back door, spitting blood from her mouth and wiping away the rest.

The motion sensor light came on, and Haruka shut her eyes from the unwanted brightness. She fell to her knees, feeling much weaker in her human form than her angel one. She heard a door open, and footsteps being cautious, before something dropped and the person rushed to her. Hands were on her face, caressing her cheek and brushing hair away. She missed the feeling, and even though she was injured, it was a welcoming touch that calmed her.

The smell of the ocean was strong, and she inwardly smiled.

"Haruka…Haruka…" Her voice was frantic, and when there was a gasp, Haruka knew she noticed the gash along her chest. She fell into the woman, the arms moving her so that she rested in her lap.

Haruka finally opened her eyes, worried blue ones staring down at her. It was amazing how beautiful she was, even given the situation. She coughed a little, before a small smile settled on her lips.

"Michiru…," she forced out, before going unconscious.


End file.
